Fetal Surgical conditions and the unraveling of maternal-fetal tolerance.

Fetal surgery is a fascinating field that will continue to evolve as we develop a more refined understanding of the underlying biology of various birth defects. Since preterm labor is a frequent outcome of fetal intervention, examining the mechanisms that lead to a breakdown in maternal-fetal tolerance is vital to developing strategies to overcome this limitation. The trafficking of cells between the mother and fetus during pregnancy plays a critical role in the education of the fetal immune system and may have implications for postnatal transplantation tolerance. Maternal cells may also be the ideal source for transplantation into the fetus to treat congenital stem cell disorders.