Fetal Echocardiography Characteristics in a Tertiary Center

Abstract

Objective: Fetal echocardiography is an important and growing diagnostic tool for early detection of congenital heart diseases and rhythm problems. In this study, we evaluated retrospectively indications and prenatal and postnatal diagnoses for fetal echocardiography. Materials and Methods: Prenatal and postnatal echocardiographic diagnoses of the newborns and data of pregnant women who were referred to the Pediatric Cardiology Clinic of Ümraniye Training and Research Hospital between October 2018 and October 2019 and newborns were obtained from medical recordings. Results: In this study, 138 patients were included. Eighty-one (58%) indication was suspected congenital heart disease, twenty-four indications (13%) was screening test positivity, 10 hyperechogenic focus, two advanced age pregnancy, six diabetes mellitus. Two were hydrops fetalis (immune/nonimmune), five dysrhythmias, one fetal anomaly. Hereditary causes were congenital heart disease in seven previous pregnancies. Sixty-eight patients with normal fetal echocardiography were normal in the postnatal period. Diagnosis of cyanotic congenital heart diseases was 24.2% of all patients, and 47.1% were acyanotic congenital heart disease in our study population. Four of the patients had arcus aorta anomalies. One patient had sustained supraventricular tachycardia with hydrops fetalis resolved with sotalol and digoxin treatment. One patient had neonatal thyrotoxicosis because of maternal graves disease Conclusion: Fetal echocardiography is a useful and noninvasive method for early diagnosis and treatment, especially in rhythm problems. Also, diagnosis of congenital heart diseases antenatally is useful for planning the management of the disease.