Mrs. X delivered the baby at a higher medical centre. Immediately after delivery, the baby was shifted to pediatric cardiology unit of the same hospital. IV Prostaglandin was started 2 hours later,  cardiac catheterization and balloon septostomy done within 72 hours of life. The baby had a open heart surgery, called Arterial Swicth Operation on day 10 of life and went home without any problems on 21^st day of life. The baby is now 2 years old and doing fine and healthy.

TAKE HOME MESSAGE

• Timely fetal echo saves our newborns.
• Heart diseases in babies can be cured completely if diagnosed at time.
• Give a fair chance to your unborn child.
• 
  

Article By:

Dr. Maitri Chaudhuri

Pediatric cardiologist & Fetal Echocardiographer

Manipal Hospitals,  98, HAL Airport Road, Bangalore, India.

Vikram Hospitals,  Miller’s Road, Bangalore, India.

Email:drmaitricee@gmail.com

If you have any queries, please post your case history or echo videos at www.babyheart.in
Click here to Download a pdf version of all the Fetal Echocardiography related articles

2. In serious cases, we can plan to deliver the child at a higher medical centre where good gynoe, pediatric and cardiac facilities are already available.

3. In extremely complicated cases, medical termination of pregnancy is advised.

4. Some of the cardiac defects especially those with very high or very low heart rates can be treated inside uterus.

5. Very soon, fetal cardiac therapy including fetal cardiac surgery would be possible even in India.

More Articles on Fetal Echocardiography

• Is fetal echo necessary in every pregnancy? When to do?

  Who should undergo fetal echo?

• Where and which doctor performs fetal echo?

• Technique of fetal echo

• Side Effects of Fetal Echo

• Benefits of fetal echocardiography

• Take Home Message – Fetal Echocardiogram

No.

It is painless and repeated ultrasound has no side effect on the baby and mother.

More Articles on Fetal Echocardiography

• Is fetal echo necessary in every pregnancy? When to do?

  Who should undergo fetal echo?

• Where and which doctor performs fetal echo?

• Technique of fetal echo

• Side Effects of Fetal Echo

• Benefits of fetal echocardiography

• Take Home Message – Fetal Echocardiogram

Then like a routine ultrasound scan of the pregnancy, the ultrasound probe and ultrasound gel is applied over the abdominal wall and live 2D, colour and Doppler echo is performed.

It usually takes 15-20 minutes.

However, if the baby is moving too much inside the mother, it can take longer.

More Articles on Fetal Echocardiography

• Is fetal echo necessary in every pregnancy? When to do?

  Who should undergo fetal echo?

• Where and which doctor performs fetal echo?

• Technique of fetal echo

• Side Effects of Fetal Echo

• Benefits of fetal echocardiography

• Take Home Message – Fetal Echocardiogram

-          A pediatric cardiologist not only does the echo but also explains you about the type of heart problem,  the treatment for it, how to do the treatment and treats the child  after delivery.

More Articles on Fetal Echocardiography

• Is fetal echo necessary in every pregnancy? When to do?

  Who should undergo fetal echo?

• Where and which doctor performs fetal echo?

• Technique of fetal echo

• Side Effects of Fetal Echo

• Benefits of fetal echocardiography

• Take Home Message – Fetal Echocardiogram

-Having previous child with heart disease.

-Mothers having major illness like Diabetes, Hypothyroidism, Epilepsy, Systemic lupus     erythematosus, On Antidepressants and Anti Psychotic Drugs

-Mothers getting viral fever, rash, joint pain in first three months of pregnancy

- Routine Ultrasound showing other malformations of the fetus

-Routine Ultrasound showing very high or very slow heart rates in fetus

-Unexplained repeated abortions

- Unexplained early child deaths

– Family having history of heart disease

More Articles on Fetal Echocardiography

• Is fetal echo necessary in every pregnancy? When to do?

  Who should undergo fetal echo?

• Where and which doctor performs fetal echo?

• Technique of fetal echo

• Side Effects of Fetal Echo

• Benefits of fetal echocardiography

• Take Home Message – Fetal Echocardiogram

About 8-10 per 1000 live births are complicated by heart disease in the babies.

50% of still births are caused by heart disease in babies.

50,000 babies die every year in our country before their first birthday due to untreated heart disease.

Many of these heart diseases are completely curable and parents get enough time to prepare for the problem.

When to do it?

Transabdominal or External fetal echo can be done anytime midtrimester onwards.

Ideally between 16-18 weeks i.e. 4-4½ months.

Fetal echo in 1^st trimester i.e. between 9 -12 weeks can also be done but through Transvaginal/ Internal route.

More Articles on Fetal Echocardiography

• Is fetal echo necessary in every pregnancy? When to do?

  Who should undergo fetal echo?

• Where and which doctor performs fetal echo?

• Technique of fetal echo

• Side Effects of Fetal Echo

• Benefits of fetal echocardiography

• Take Home Message – Fetal Echocardiogram

What is fetal echo?

Ultrasound examination of the structure and function of a baby’s heart done when it is still inside the mother is called medically as fetal echo.

basics of fetal echo

More Articles on Fetal Echocardiography

• Is fetal echo necessary in every pregnancy? When to do?

  Who should undergo fetal echo?

• Where and which doctor performs fetal echo?

• Technique of fetal echo

• Side Effects of Fetal Echo

• Benefits of fetal echocardiography

• Take Home Message – Fetal Echocardiogram