What is a fetal echo?

Fetal echocardiography is short for fetal echocardiogram, an ultrasound examination doctors use to check for congenital heart defects. This disease affects about 1% of births each year and covers a wide range of heart problems. The most common diagnosis of congenital heart disease is a ventricular septal defect.

Understanding the fetal echo

The transducer used in a fetal echocardiogram is called a transducer. It emits ultrasonic waves into the abdomen, which create an image on the doctor's screen. These sound waves have a frequency that travels through your skin and your baby's skin to bounce off the structures of the heart.

This type of test does not cause pain or harm to you or your child. It usually takes 30 minutes to 2 hours due to the complexity of the baby's heart development and the number of things the doctor is looking for.

A fetal echocardiogram is very similar to other ultrasounds performed during pregnancy. It differs in that it is only used to look at your baby's heart and no other structures.

What happens during a fetal echo?

An ultrasound technician performs an examination and imaging. A pediatric cardiologist reads and interprets the images like a specialist who understands the development of your baby's heart in the womb.

Doctors do ultrasounds while your baby is in the womb because 25% of babies with congenital heart defects need treatment or surgery during their first year of life. Early detection helps doctors prepare for child care and make sure they have a plan.

Preparation for fetal echocardiography. Some ultrasounds require you to have a full bladder for best results. A fetal echocardiogram is not required. In fact, you may prefer to empty your bladder before the test, as this can take up to 2 hours.

As your doctor refers you to a specialist, it is important that your technician has as much information as possible. This may include details such as:

Your own heart defect
Family history of heart defects
Medical records ‌
Details of your concerns

Why fetal echo is Important

Fetal echocardiography can detect congenital heart defects that occur in the womb and can affect the structure and function of your baby's heart. A mild congenital heart defect may be a hole in your baby's heart, while a more severe case may be missing parts. Types of congenital heart defects include:

Fetal echocardiography results

The pediatric cardiologist tells you and your doctor the results of the ultrasound. You can get the answers you need from the test, or you can get more questions. It depends on the child's gestational age, diagnosis, and imaging quality.

After the study is completed, you will meet with a pediatric cardiologist to learn more about the results. You may need to do one or more tests before the baby is born to monitor the severity of the condition. This is true even if your first test comes back normal.

Fetal echocardiograms are considered reliable after 17 weeks of gestation, although they can be performed vaginally instead of abdominally as early as 12 weeks. If a heart defect is found, you will discover the best and worst scenarios for your child.

This will help you prepare for what is to come after the birth. In some cases, children require observation or surgery immediately after birth to stabilize the condition. Your doctor will give you all the options available, talk about the possible outcomes of each, and allow you and your partner to make the best decision.

A congenital heart defect can increase your child's risk of developing other genetic problems, such as Down's syndrome or DiGeorge's syndrome. Benign tumors can appear with heart problems, which indicates tuberous sclerosis.

Other tests may include:

High-level fetal ultrasound, more detailed ultrasound to look for other abnormal signs
Fetal magnetic resonance imaging, which examines the development of your baby's organs.
Genetic counseling, an assessment that determines the likelihood of a genetic disease, including the likelihood that future children will have a similar disease.
Amniocentesis, which identifies chromosomal abnormalities, genetic disorders and some birth defects based on your baby's DNA while still in the womb

Fetal echo risks

Fetal echocardiograms are safe for both mother and child. This type of ultrasound poses no significant risk. However, not doing the recommended test can put your baby at risk after birth.