Fetal echocardiography (echocardiography)

Fetal echo (fetal echocardiography) of the fetus during pregnancy cardiac anomalies is a method for assessment of ultrasound.

Occurs in 5-8 per 1000 live births with congenital heart defects. Cause mortality in the neonatal period immediately after birth, which is a group of the most common congenital anomaly.

Fetal echo 16 made after week, to obtain the best image around 21-22 weeks.

In which cases is the fetal echo?
- The mother or the father to have congenital heart anomaly
- Give birth to children with cardiac abnormalities before
- Have diabetes before pregnancy, maternal (insulin-dependent, type 1),
- Maternal phenylketonuria is
- Maternal connective tissue diseases such as SLE
- Maternal epilepsy (epilepsy) disease
- Your mother's drug use during pregnancy, exposure to teratogens (alcohol, anticonvulsant, retinoic acid, rubella, coxsackie, parvovirus)
- Advanced maternal age (older than 35)
- Normal during pregnancy ultrasound monitoring of suspicious images
- Non-cardiac abnormalities in the fetus on ultrasound detection
- Detection of chromosomal abnormalities in the fetus amniocentesis
- Hydrops fetalis
- Arrhythmia (fetal heart rhythm disorder)


The benefits of screening for cardiac abnormalities in the fetus during pregnancy:
- If there is an anomaly that allows you to be ready for the early detection of conditions and post-natal care
- Anomalies are diagnosed before birth, after birth are more successful treatments
- The detection of chromosomal abnormalities in the fetus can
- Informing parents early in the decision to end the pregnancy can be terminated or be prepared for post-natal care