Fetal echocardiography
Fetal echocardiography is a test that uses sound waves (ultrasound) to evaluate the baby's heart for problems before birth.
Ultrasound
Ultrasound uses high-frequency sound waves to make images of organs and structures inside the body.
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleHow the Test is Performed
Fetal echocardiography is a test that is done while the baby is still in the womb. It is most often done during the second trimester of pregnancy. This is when a woman is about 18 to 24 weeks pregnant.
The procedure is similar to that of a pregnancy ultrasound. You will lie down for the procedure.
Pregnancy ultrasound
A pregnancy ultrasound is an imaging test that uses sound waves to create a picture of how a baby is developing in the womb (uterus). It is also use...
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleThe test can be performed on your belly (abdominal ultrasound) or through your vagina (transvaginal ultrasound).
Transvaginal ultrasound
Transvaginal ultrasound is a test used to look at a woman's uterus, ovaries, tubes, cervix, and pelvic area. Transvaginal means across or through the...
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleIn an abdominal ultrasound, the person performing the test places a clear, water-based gel on your belly. A hand-held probe is moved over the area. The probe sends out sound waves, which bounce off the baby's heart and create a picture of the heart on a computer screen.
In a transvaginal ultrasound, a much smaller probe is placed into the vagina. A transvaginal ultrasound can be done earlier in the pregnancy and produces a clearer image than an abdominal ultrasound.
How to Prepare for the Test
No special preparation is needed for this test.
How the Test will Feel
The conducting gel may feel slightly cold and wet. You will not feel the ultrasound waves.
Why the Test is Performed
This test is done to detect a heart problem before the baby is born. It can provide a more detailed image of the baby's heart than a regular pregnancy ultrasound.
The test can show:
- Blood flow through the heart
- Heart rhythm
- Structures of the baby's heart
The test may be done if:
- A parent, sibling or other close family member had a heart defect or heart disease.
- A routine pregnancy ultrasound detected an abnormal heart rhythm or possible heart problem in the unborn baby.
- The mother has diabetes (prior to pregnancy), lupus, or phenylketonuria.
Diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is a lifelong (chronic) disease in which there is a high level of sugar (glucose) in the blood.
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleLupus
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease. In this disease, the immune system of the body mistakenly attacks healthy tissue. It c...
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticlePhenylketonuria
Phenylketonuria (PKU) is a rare condition in which a baby is born without the ability to properly break down an amino acid called phenylalanine....
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - The mother has rubella during the first trimester of pregnancy.
Rubella
Rubella, also known as the German measles, is an infection in which there is a rash on the skin. Congenital rubella is when a pregnant woman with rub...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - The mother has used medicines that can damage the baby's developing heart (such as some epilepsy drugs and prescription acne medicines).
- An amniocentesis revealed a chromosome disorder.
Amniocentesis
Amniocentesis is a test that can be done during pregnancy to look for certain problems in the developing baby. These problems include:Birth defectsG...
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleChromosome
Chromosomes are structures found in the center (nucleus) of cells that carry long pieces of DNA. DNA is the material that holds genes. It is the bu...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - There is some other reason to suspect that the baby is at higher risk for heart problems.
Normal Results
The echocardiogram finds no problems in the unborn baby's heart.
What Abnormal Results Mean
Abnormal results may be due to:
- A problem with the way the baby's heart has formed (congenital heart disease)
Congenital heart disease
Congenital heart disease (CHD) is a problem with the heart's structure and function that is present at birth.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - A problem with the way the baby's heart works
- Heart rhythm disturbances (arrhythmias)
Arrhythmias
An arrhythmia is a disorder of the heart rate (pulse) or heart rhythm. The heart can beat too fast (tachycardia), too slow (bradycardia), or irregul...
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The test may need to be repeated.
Risks
There are no known risks to the mother or unborn baby.
Considerations
Some heart defects cannot be seen before birth, even with fetal echocardiography. These include small holes in the heart or mild valve problems. Also, because it may not be possible to see every part of the large blood vessels leading out of the baby's heart, problems in this area may go undetected. It may still be necessary to repeat an ultrasound of the baby's heart following delivery to confirm findings seen on fetal echocardiography and evaluate areas not previously seen clearly.
If the health care provider finds a problem in the structure of the heart, a detailed ultrasound may be done to look for other problems with the developing baby.
References
Donofrio MT, Moon-Grady AJ, Hornberger LK, et al. Diagnosis and treatment of fetal cardiac disease: a scientific statement from the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2014;129(21):2183-2242. PMID: 24763516 www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24763516/.
Guthrie J, Hagen-Ansert SL. Fetal echocardiography: congenital heart disease. In: Hagen-Ansert SL, ed. Textbook of Diagnostic Sonography. 9th ed. St Louis, MO: Elsevier; 2023:chap 36.
Stamm ER, Drose JA. The fetal heart. In: Rumack CM, Levine D, eds. Diagnostic Ultrasound. 5th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2018:chap 37.
Review Date: 1/18/2023
Reviewed By: Mary J. Terrell, MD, IBCLC, Neonatologist, Cape Fear Valley Medical Center, Fayetteville, NC. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.