“From early in my training, I was captivated by the idea that we could intervene in fetal life to change a child’s future,” said Dr. Jose Peiro.
Credit: NYU Langone Health
Internationally distinguished surgeon–scientist Jose L. Peiro Ibanez, MD, PhD, joins Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital at NYU Langone as director of the newly established NYU Langone Advanced Fetal Care Center, which integrates specialized fetal and neonatal care with maternal–fetal medicine across the health system. Dr. Peiro brings extensive expertise in performing delicate, lifesaving surgery on babies before and immediately after they are born.
Also named professor in the and a member of its at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, Dr. Peiro joins the institution from Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, where he was the director of endoscopic fetal surgery at the Cincinnati Children’s Fetal Care Center and professor of surgery at University of Cincinnati Medical College.
“Building on the success of our Fetal Diagnosis and Treatment Program, established in 2017, we are thrilled to now evolve into the NYU Langone Advanced Fetal Care Center to better serve families facing complex diagnoses,” said Jason C. Fisher, MD, director of Children’s Surgical Services at Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital and chief of the Division of Pediatric Surgery at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. “Dr. Peiro is internationally recognized both as a pioneer of cutting-edge fetal surgical techniques and as a visionary scientist committed to fostering innovation in fetal therapy. Dr. Peiro’s arrival builds on NYU Langone’s strong foundation of caring for complex prenatal diagnoses, further advancing our ability to provide exceptional, compassionate care to children and families. It is an honor and privilege to have him join our community.”
Nationwide, 1 in every 33 newborns is born with a birth defect. Of the 14,000 babies delivered at NYU Langone last year, approximately 700 received care through the Fetal Diagnosis and Treatment Program, with each representing a complex fetal case requiring specialized, often lifesaving interventions. Now transformed into NYU Langone’s Advanced Fetal Care Center, the program builds on its expertise in diagnosing and treating complex fetal conditions by offering minimally invasive fetal surgeries, including fetoscopic laser procedures to correct blood flow between twins, repair of spinal cord defects such as spina bifida, shunt placement to relieve fluid buildup, prenatal interventions to promote lung growth in cases of congenital diaphragmatic hernia, and ex utero intrapartum treatment (EXIT) procedures to secure the airway at delivery. The center combines expertise in maternal–fetal medicine, genetics, and diagnostics with multidisciplinary pediatric teams that include surgery, cardiology, neurosurgery, urology, otolaryngology, neonatology, and anesthesiology to ensure seamless care before and after birth.
“From early in my training, I was captivated by the idea that we could intervene in fetal life to change a child’s future,” said Dr. Peiro. “Every case requires precision, empathy, and clear communication with the families navigating these diagnoses. It’s incredibly rewarding to see how these procedures can make a lifetime of difference, and I’m honored to join NYU Langone and work with a team dedicated to supporting families from diagnosis through delivery and beyond.”
Dr. Peiro’s basic and translational research focuses on serious conditions that can affect babies before they’re born, such as spina bifida, an incorrect formation of the spine; hydrocephalus, a buildup of fluid in the brain; gastroschisis, the development of a fetus’s intestine’s outside of the belly; and congenital diaphragmatic hernia, a hole in the diaphragm that allows organs to move into the chest and affect breathing. He’s also exploring new treatments, including the use of cells to help babies heal and ways to grow and rebuild tissues.
“Few areas of medicine embody both the fragility and resilience of life like fetal surgery,” said Robert Montgomery, MD, DPhil, the H. Leon Pachter, MD, Professor of Surgery, chair of the Department of Surgery, and director of the NYU Langone Transplant Institute. “Dr. Peiro’s recruitment underscores NYU Langone’s commitment to advancing what’s possible in surgical care for children through innovation, compassion, and hope.”
Dr. Peiro will see patients and families at Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital—34th Street and at the Mignone Women’s Health Collaborative at NYU Langone.
“Families facing complex prenatal diagnoses deserve a team they can trust every step of the way,” said Ashley S. Roman, MD, MPH, vice chair for clinical affairs—obstetrics in the at NYU Grossman School of Medicine and service chief for obstetrics at NYU Langone’s Tisch Hospital. “With the fetal surgery team and other Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital specialists seeing patients physically at the Mignone Women’s Collaborative alongside maternal–fetal medicine, we ensure seamless collaboration and the highest level of care for both the pregnant person and fetus, no matter the diagnosis.”
The Advanced Fetal Care Center’s integrated model of care spans NYU Langone’s campuses, including Long Island, where Martin R. Chavez, MD, director of maternal–fetal medicine and professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at NYU Grossman Long Island School of Medicine, leads the maternal–fetal medicine team at NYU Langone Hospital—Long Island.
“By collaborating closely with Dr. Peiro and the entire team, we can provide families on Long Island with the same advanced fetal therapies and coordinated expertise,” said Dr. Chavez. “This collaborative approach allows us to deliver care that is seamless, innovative, and tailored to each family’s needs.”
About Dr. Peiro
Originally from Barcelona, Spain, Dr. Peiro earned his medical degree from Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona and completed his pediatric surgery residency at Hospital Vall d’Hebron. Drawn to fetal surgery early in his career, he came to the United States in 2001 for an observership at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. He returned to Barcelona to help build a leading fetal surgery program, performing Europe’s first fetoscopic spina bifida repair before birth and Spain’s first EXIT procedure to safely deliver babies with airway blockages. He’s created many minimally invasive approaches that help treat complex conditions in the womb. In 2013, he joined Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, bringing his expertise in innovative fetal interventions to the United States.
Over the course of his career, Dr. Peiro has authored and co-authored more than 150 peer-reviewed publications and abstracts. He has presented at numerous national and international conferences and is an active member of several leading medical societies, including the International Society of Prenatal Diagnosis and the International Fetal Medicine and Surgery Society. He also serves as chair of the innovations committee for the North American Fetal Therapy Network. A researcher and educator, Dr. Peiro has helped develop new fetal care programs all over the world and teaches his surgical techniques and approaches to complex patients to peers across the nation and around the globe.
Media Inquiries
Katie Ullman
Phone: 646-483-3984
Kathryn.Ullman@NYULangone.org
