Five things you should know about fetal echocardiography

Doctors have an increasingly effective tool in their efforts to diagnose and treat congenital heart disease—the most common birth defect in the United States.

In the hands of an expert, the sophisticated and sensitive ultrasound test known as “fetal echocardiography” can detect heart problems in a fetus as early as four months after conception. Early diagnosis gives doctors time to prepare for an emergency situation at birth, or even treat some problems before birth.

M Health Fairview Masonic Children’s Hospital has maternal-fetal medicine physicians with specialized training in fetal echocardiography, as well as four pediatric cardiologists who offer this service: Matthew Ambrose, MD, Shanti Narasimhan, MBBS, FASE, Daniel Peck, MD, and Kavisha Shah, MD. All of our fetal cardiologists are also faculty members in the Division of Pediatric Cardiology at University of Minnesota Medical School. 

We asked our team of fetal cardiologists what you should know about this imaging service and how our team can work to diagnose and treat congenital heart defects before birth.

If your obstetrician recommends the test, don’t panic.

Fetal echocardiograms are most often ordered as a precautionary measure if you have a condition that increases your risk for fetal heart defects, like diabetes; if you’ve had a previous child with a congenital heart defect; or if you’ve been exposed to certain infections or medications.

An obstetrician will also recommend a fetal echocardiogram when he or she suspects a fetus may have a congenital heart defect, or because he or she detected an abnormal heart rate during an ultrasound. Congenital heart defects occur in about one out of every 100 births.

Learn more about the Pediatric Heart Center at M Health Fairview Masonic Children's Hospital.

Doctors gain valuable insight from fetal echocardiography.

The test can detect a range of problems, including congenital heart defects, arrhythmias, cardiac tumors, and abnormalities in heart function. It allows a doctor to counsel the family, arrange for delivery at an appropriate medical center, plan for those babies requiring urgent interventions after birth, or even treat fetal heart rhythm problems. Experts can also use this test to evaluate other conditions’ effect on the heart and determine whether further treatment is necessary.

The exam is risk free.

Fetal echocardiography uses ultrasound technology, which does not cause any harm to the fetus or the parent.

Unlike many medical procedures, there are no pre-test requirements.

The study can be done without the need for an empty stomach or a full bladder. A specialized technician, known as a sonographer, performs the test, which takes roughly 45 minutes. The fetal cardiologist reviews all the images and performs a brief scan as well. Once the scan is completed, he or she sits down with the family and explains to them the findings of the scan and their implications.

If your baby has a congenital heart defect, our team works collaboratively to monitor and treat it.

The Birthplace at Masonic Children’s Hospital is home to a multidisciplinary team aimed at providing seamless care before, during, and after birth. 

Our fetal cardiologists are part of a larger pediatric cardiology group, which collaborates as a team before and after birth to ensure the best possible treatment plan is in place. Our Heart Care team also works closely with maternal-fetal medicine physicians, who are specially trained to monitor and treat both parent and fetus for pregnancies with a known or possible health problem, and neonatologists, who are ready to work with the baby immediately after birth if needed in our Level IV Neonatal Intensive Care Unit – which offers the highest level of intensive care for newborns.

Learn more about The Birthplace at M Health Fairview Masonic Children’s Hospital.