Fetal Echocardiography & Heart Disease

Nothing is more frightening to a pregnant mother than hearing or believing that there might be something wrong with her baby. However, if heart disease or fetal heart abnormalities are common in your family, fetal echocardiography may give you peace of mind.

What Is a Fetal Echocardiogram?

• A fetal echocardiogram is a test performed on a pregnant woman by a specialist to evaluate a fetus' heart. During a fetal echocardiogram, a fetal heart specialist will perform a detailed ultrasound of the baby's heart to discover if the blood is circulating through the heart correctly. The specialist will evaluate whether the heart is beating at an appropriate rate, whether it is beating in rhythm, whether there appear to be any weaknesses in the walls or other areas of the heart, and whether the valves are functioning correctly.

Why Do You Need a Fetal Echocariogram?

• If your family has a history of congenital heart disease, you have insulin-dependent type 1 diabetes, or the baby was exposed to drugs, such as anti-epileptic medications, during early pregnancy, your doctor may recommend fetal echocardiography.

  Your doctor may also recommend a fetal echocardiogram if other tests or evaluations come back abnormal. If you have an abnormal amniocentesis test or the doctor detects what appears to be an abnormality while listening to your baby's heart at a routine exam or ultrasound, he may order a fetal echocardiogram.

  A fetal echocardiogram may also be ordered if abnormalities have been found in one or more of the fetus' other organs, like the lungs.

What Can a Fetal Echocardiogram Identify?

• A fetal cardiogram can identify congenital heart disease, rhythm disturbances, cardiac function issues, and other cardiac structure problems. However, some minor heart defects, like small holes in the heart and mild valve malfunctions, are not often found during prenatal care, and other heart defects or issues do not appear until after a baby is born.

When Are Fetal Echocardiograms Given?

• Fetal echocardiogram tests are normally given to women between 14 and 18 weeks gestation or later, depending on when the heart abnormality is found. Fetal ultrasounds, like the echocardiogram, can be given either transvaginally or using imaging through the abdomen.

Why Fetal Echocardiograms Are Good

• Although not every fetal heart defect can be treated, many can be if they're detected early enough. Advances in modern medicine offer a wide variety of remedies to heart abnormalities, including open-heart surgery on newborns. Even if a baby's fetal echocardiogram does come back with abnormalities, it doesn't mean the problem can't be solved. Discuss any findings with your doctor.