Introduction: From fetal echocardiography to fetal cardiology: A journey of over half a century

Abstract

In this Special Issue of the Journal, 8 review articles that represent the new developments and applications of fetal echocardiography and fetal cardiology for diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of fetal cardiovascular disease are included. The goal was to provide an updated review of the evidence for the current and emerging use of fetal echocardiography and cardiac magnetic resonance, improved diagnosis of challenging congenital heart disease, new tools for evaluation of fetal systolic and diastolic function, better prognosis and risk stratification of newborns with congenital heart diseases, and new and promising therapies for fetuses with cardiovascular disease.

Posicionamento da Sociedade Brasileira de Cardiologia para Gravidez e Planejamento Familiar na Mulher Portadora de Cardiopatia – 2020

“…Although the main indication for fetal echo is the presence of an alteration in the routine ultrasound examination, some maternal indications are important, including pre-gestational diabetes mellitus or diabetes identified during the first trimester of gestation, phenylketonuria, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and Sjögren syndrome with positive anti-SSA and/or anti-SSB antibodies. 30 In these cases, both the presence of fetal complete atrioventricular block during a previous gestation and neonatal SLE increase the possibility of fetal involvement during a subsequent gestation, or, at times, alteration in fetal cardiac rhythm determines better maternal evaluation for investigating autoantibodies.…”

Anomalías genitales: contextualización de un campo olvidado en el diagnóstico prenatal

“…Descripción y registro de fenotipos y variantes patológicas: se han estudiado y descrito extensamente las variantes de la "normalidad y anormalidad", y las características del desarrollo embrionario y fetal de otros sistemas, así como también su evolución en anomalías congénitas a lo largo del tiempo. Por ejemplo, tenemos las clasificaciones establecidas para los tipos de malformaciones broncopulmonares (18) o la precisión minuciosa en las evaluaciones ecográficas del desarrollo cardiaco (19) o cerebral del feto (20). En contraste, las anomalías genitales presentan un amplio rango de variabilidad clínica, tanto en anomalías leves como la clitoromegalia, como en defectos complejos y sindrómicos como la cloaca persistente (21).…”

Comments on: Isolated Nonocompaction Suggests Subclinical Myopathy

“…Ultrasound technical improvements with the development of new tools for the evaluation of the systolic and diastolic fetal function and advances in fetal cardiology will allow a risk stratification with a better evaluation of the prognosis of newborns with congenital heart disease and new and promising therapies for fetuses with cardiovascular disease. 3…”