The bright future of fetal cardiology

Abstract

This special cardiac issue of Prenatal Diagnosis compiles original research and reviews from across the globe to highlight advances in fetal cardiology, opportunities to improve care, and both the origins and effects of cardiac maldevelopment on the maternal-fetal dyad. Investigators share approaches to screening and diagnosing fetal congenital heart disease (FCHD) and provide insights into maternal and fetal-neonatal managent, including fetal therapy. Importantly, this issue highlights the complex interplay of genetic, mechanical, and hemodynamic contributors to the development of FCHD and the interdependence of the placenta and the developing heart and brain. Screening, risk-directed referral, and early detection provide important opportunities for the pregnant person. Freud et al. highlight the most recent 2nd trimester screening guidelines and emphasize techniques for moving cardiac screening into the 1st trimester and the use of cine loops and color Doppler. 1 The feasibility of implementation of 1st trimester screening for FCHD is presented by Helmbraek et al. in their single-center experience of over 5000 fetuses. First trimester scans were increasingly successful over the study period, with no false-positive cases reported. 2 The ability of cine loops to improve prenatal detection of FCHD was highlighted in the real-life experiences from a low-volume, rural region of the United States. 3