Pregnancy is an exciting time for all parents, filled with hopes for a healthy baby. However, when a congenital heart defect is detected in the developing fetus, it can be a challenging experience for the parents. Eight out of every 1,000 live-born babies are born with a congenital heart defect or congenital heart disease. In many cases, the defect can be fatal or seriously impair the child's quality of life.
For this, the best fetal medicine specialist in Kolkata suggests fetal echocardiography. It is similar to an ultrasound and uses sound waves to assess the heart of a developing fetus in the womb. During this procedure, the baby's heart anatomy, heart rate, rhythm, functions and blood flow are observed.
It is usually done between 22-24 weeks of pregnancy.
Who need to undergo fetal echocardiography?
Fetal hearts are viewed differently by fetal and maternal medicine specialists during routine anomaly screening. But because of the complexity of the heart's anatomy, international guidelines tell us to keep a "low threshold" if there is a minimal suspicion of problems. If a minor heart is detected in the fetus, pregnant women are referred to heart specialists for fetal echocardiography.
Fetal echocardiography should be done if any minor heart problem is suspected in the anomaly scan. In addition to this, if there are other structural defects like congenital diaphragmatic hernia, esophageal atresia, hydrops etc., it is necessary to do an echo to see if there is any secondary heart problem.
1. If in the NT scan, an increased fluid is found in the fetal neck known as nuchal translucency (NT) fluid, an echocardiography is recommended as it can often be caused by a heart problem.
2. Women who fall under high-risk pregnancy are advised to undergo fetal echocardiography. High-risk factors can include a family history of congenital heart disease, and certain maternal medical conditions (such as diabetes).
3. If the woman is pregnant with twins, there is a higher chance of congenital malformations, including heart defects. Hence fetal echocardiography is recommended, says a top fetal and maternal medicine specialist in Kolkata.
4. In some cases, if the mother is overweight, the excess body fat can make it more difficult to obtain clear and detailed images of the fetus, including the heart. To overcome this challenge, doctors use fetal echocardiography.
5. If the mother is taking certain types of medicines like retinoids or have suffered from infections like torch and parvovirus infection.
6. Women who have conceived through IVF are also recommended by fetal medicine specialist to undergo fetal echocardiography as such pregnancies can have a slight risk of certain fetal abnormalities, including those related to the heart.
7. If a heartbeat problem or rhythm problem is suspected, then the type, cause and prognosis of the arrhythmia can be understood with the help of an echocardiography.
Conclusion
Doctors will assess the risk factors, medical history and screening results to decide whether fetal echocardiography is necessary for a particular pregnancy.
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