About me
Fernando V. Mena, MD, FAAP, is Chairman of Pediatrics and Chief of Neonatology at MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center and MedStar Harbor Hospital. He is board certified by the American Board of Pediatrics in Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine.
A graduate of the University of Chile School of Medicine in Santiago, Chile, Dr. Mena completed his fellowship in Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine and pediatric residency at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. Before coming to MedStar Franklin Square in 2019, Dr. Mena served as the medical director of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at the University of Maryland Medical Center, at that time, a 40-bed level IV unit.
Brain damage of the developing brain has been one of Dr. Mena’s interests. Before coming to MedStar Franklin Square, he chaired the development of the Hypothermia Program for Neonatal Encephalopathy at the University of Maryland, a novel therapy for newborns with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. Since joining our NICU, Dr. Mena’s focus has been quality improvement in women’s and children’s health care, an utmost priority at MedStar Franklin Square and MedStar Harbor Hospital. Under his leadership, the rates of some of the most serious complications of prematurity, such as necrotizing enterocolitis, chronic lung disease, hospital-acquired infections, and overall mortality, have decreased to levels much lower than national benchmarks.
Dr. Mena is actively involved in several committees and boards at the local and state levels with the goal of improving the care of newborns, including serving as the Chair of the Neonatal subcommittee of the perinatal Advisory Committee for the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems (MIEMSS), member of the Baltimore County Fetal and Infant Mortality Review Board and Action Committee, faculty of the Maryland Patient Safety Center, and past Chair and current member of the MedStar Neonatology Quality Improvement Group. He has co-chaired the Children’s Community Task Force at MFSMC, which since 2019 has awarded grants to programs that advance children’s health in our community. He also serves on the Community Health Improvement Committee of Medstar Franklin Square. In November 2017, he was nominated Baltimore’s Medical honoree by the March of Dimes for his dedication and passion for critically ill babies and their families. In 2023, Dr. Mena was named by his peers as a “Top Doc” by Baltimore Magazine, marking this his tenth nomination for this honor.
Clinical areas of focus
- Birth Asphyxia
- Body Cooling
- Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia
- Diaphragmatic Hernia
- Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation
- Gastroschisis
- High Frequency Ventilation
- Inhaled Nitric Oxide
- Mechanical Ventilation
- Meconium Aspiration Syndrome
- Necrotizing Enterocolitis In Newborn
- Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome
- Neonatal Bowel Obstruction
- Neonatal Jaundice
- Neonatal Sepsis
- Non Invasive Ventilation
- Omphalocele
- Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension Of The Newborn
- Premature Birth
- Respiratory Distress Syndrome
- Retinopathy Of Prematurity
- Therapeutic Hypothermia
- Umbilical Arterial Line Insertion
- Venous Line Insertion
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Anemia
- Apnea Of Prematurity
- Arthritis
- Atelectasis
- Birth Asphyxia
- Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia
- Chronic Lung Diseases Of Infancy
- Diaphragmatic Hernia
- Gastroschisis
- Hyperbilirubinemia
- Hyperkalemia
- Hypermagnesemia
- Hypernatremia
- Hypoglycemia
- Hypokalemia
- Hyponatremia
- Laryngomalacia
- Meconium Aspiration Syndrome
- Meningitis
- Necrotizing Enterocolitis In Newborn
- Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome
- Neonatal Alloimmune Thrombocytopenia
- Neonatal Bowel Obstruction
- Neonatal Cholestasis
- Neonatal Conjunctivitis
- Neonatal Jaundice
- Neonatal Sepsis
- Omphalocele
- Osteopenia
- Patent Ductus Arteriosus
- Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension Of The Newborn
- Pneumonia
- Pneumothorax
- Premature Birth
- Pyelonephritis
- Renal Failure
- Respiratory Distress Syndrome
- Respiratory Failure
- Retinopathy Of Prematurity
- Severe Congenital Neutropenia
- Stridor
- Transient Tachypnea Of The Newborn
Procedures I perform
- Body Cooling
- Endotracheal Intubation
- Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation
- High Frequency Ventilation
- Inhaled Nitric Oxide
- Mechanical Ventilation
- Non Invasive Ventilation
- Therapeutic Hypothermia
- Umbilical Arterial Line Insertion
- Urinary Catheter Insertion
- Venous Line Insertion
Practice locations
Distance from Change LocationEnter your Location
9000 Franklin Square Drive Department of Neonatology Baltimore, MD, 21237
443-777-7748Fax 443-777-7929
Videos
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Pediatrics, Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine
Residency Program: University of Maryland Medical Center (2004)
Fellowship Program: University of Maryland Medical Center (1999)
Residency Program: Universidad De Chile (1993)
Medical School: Universidad De Chile (1990)
Awards
- The Pediatric Teaching Award – Given by the Family Medicine Residents to the best pediatric teacher of the year, MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center, 2020 and 2021. Baltimore Magazine Top Doc, 2010-2011, 2013-2019, 2023 Baltimore’s Medical honoree by the March of Dimes,2017
Hospital affiliations
News and publications
F. V. Mena, P. J. Baab, C. L. Zielke, Y. Huang and H. R. Zielke*: Formation of extracellular glutamate from glutamine: Exclusion of pyroglutamate as an intermediate. Brain Research. 2005; 1052:88-96. PMID 16004974
KD. Fairchild*, S. Tomkoria, E.Sharpe and F.V. Mena: Neonatal Candida Glabrata Sepsis: Clinical and Laboratory features compared with other Candida Species. Ped Infect Dis J. 2002; 21:39-43. PMID 11791097
F. V. Mena, P. J. Baab, C. L. Zielke and H. R. Zielke*: In Vivo Glutamine Hydrolysis in the Formation of Extracellular Glutamate in the Injured Rat Brain. J. Neurosci. Res. 2000; 60:632-641. PMID 10820434
F. Mena, Patología Neurológica Del Niño Que Nació Prematuro. Rev. Ped. Vol.37; N° 3-4; Julio-Diciembre 1994. Pág. 117-118. (Neuropathology of the Premature Newborn)
Reviews or Editorials in Refereed Journals
Kaluarachchi DC, Klein JM. Acute Cardiorespiratory Deterioration in a Preterm Infant. Hosp Pediatr. 2015 Sep; 5(9):505-7. doi: 10.1542/hpeds.2015-0011.
Kairamkonda VR, Richardson J, Subhedar N, Bridge PD, Shaw NJ. Lung function measurement in prematurely born preschool children with and without chronic lung disease. J Perinatol. 2008 Mar; 28(3):199-204. doi: 10.1038/sj.jp.7211911. Epub 2008 Jan 10
Reiman M, Kujari H, Maunu J, Parkkola R, Rikalainen H, Lapinleimu H, Lehtonen L, Haataja L; PIPARI Study Group. Does placental inflammation relate to brain lesions and volume in preterm infants? J Pediatr. 2008 May; 152(5):642-7, 647.e1-2. doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds. 2007.09.051. Epub 2007 Dec 21.
Books or Chapters in Books
Fernando V. Mena Edwards and Pablo Espina: Asfixia Neonatal. In: Meneghello, Tratado de Pediatría. 6th Edition, March 2013. (Staple Textbook of Pediatrics in Spain and Latin America; in Spanish)
F.V. Mena: Asphyxia Neonatorum. Chapter in: Neonatology Manual. University of Maryland NICU. Baltimore, 1998.
Abstracts for Conference papers and posters
F. V. Mena, C. L. Zielke and H. R. Zielke: Pyroglutamic Acid Is Not an Intermediate Metabolite in Extracellular Glutamate Formation from Glutamine. APS/SPR Joint Meeting, Washington, DC PAS 2005; 57: 2257
F. V. Mena and H.R. Zielke: In Vivo Effects of Glutamine Perfusion on Extracellular Levels of Glutamate in the Rat Hippocampus. Is γ-Glutamyltransferase Involved? APS/SPR Joint Meeting, Boston. Pediatric Research 2000; 47: 4621A#2731.
F. V. Mena and H.R. Zielke: Glutamate Formation in the Extracellular Space of the Rat Brain. APS/SPR Joint Meeting, Boston. Platform Presentation. Pediatric Research 2000; 47: 4621A#2732.
F. V. Mena, P. J. Baab and H. R. Zielke: In Vivo Changes in the Extracellular Amino Acid Concentration after Neuronal Cell Injury in the Rat. APS/SPR Joint Meeting, New Orleans. Pediatric Research 1998; 43: 322A#1888.
F. V. Mena, P. J. Baab and H. R. Zielke: Role of Glutamine Hydrolysis In Formation Of Extracellular Glutamate In The Rat Hippocampus. Journal of Neurochemistry, 72; S31, 1999