Dr. Aneela Reddy is a pediatric cardiologist who cares for patients with heart disease, addressing their needs from before they're born through childhood and into young adulthood. With expertise in echocardiography (heart ultrasound), she performs pediatric, fetal and transesophageal (through the esophagus) imaging studies. Her areas of interest include health education and advocacy, expanding access to specialty care for underserved populations, and improving the patient experience by fostering trust with families.
In her research, Reddy investigates novel ways to use machine learning (a type of artificial intelligence) to detect fetal heart disease as early as the first trimester. Potential benefits of in utero detection include not only facilitating smooth deliveries and supporting the baby's well-being but also helping parents and families prepare emotionally for having a child with a heart condition. She is also interested in how to optimize patients' experiences both in and out of the hospital. In particular, for parents who will be giving birth to babies with a heart problem that doesn't need immediate treatment, she is developing care pathways that would let them deliver in hospitals close to where they live, decreasing the emotional and financial burdens on families.
Reddy earned her medical degree at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. She completed a residency in pediatrics at the University of California, Los Angeles, training at UCLA Mattel Children's Hospital. She completed a fellowship in pediatric cardiology and an advanced fellowship in noninvasive imaging, with a focus on transesophageal and fetal echocardiography, at UCSF, serving as chief fellow.
Reddy is a member of the American Society of Echocardiography, Fetal Heart Society, American Heart Association and American Academy of Pediatrics.
