FETAL ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY

 FETAL ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY

Fetal echocardiography is a test similar to ultrasound. This test allows your doctor to better understand the structure and function of your fetus’s heart. It is usually done in the second trimester, between weeks 18 and 24.

This test uses sound waves to “echo” the structure of the fetal heart. A machine analyses these sound waves and creates an image or an echocardiogram of the inside of your heart. This image provides information about how the baby’s heart is formed and whether it is working properly.

 Also allows your doctor to see the blood flow through the baby’s heart. This in-depth observation allows your doctor to find out if there is any abnormality in the baby’s blood flow or heartbeat.

How does a fetal echocardiogram work?

• A small probe called a transducer (similar to a microphone) is placed on the mother’s abdomen and emits ultrasound waves at an inaudible frequency.
• When the transducer is placed at a specific position and at a specific angle, sound waves pass through the skin of the mother and baby to the baby’s heart tissue, where the sound waves bounce off the heart (or “echo”). Structure. The
• Transducer captures the reflected wave and sends it to the computer. The computer interprets the echoes in the images of the heart walls and valves.

Fetal echocardiography can help detect fetal heart abnormalities before birth, allowing faster medical or surgical intervention after the baby is born. This improves the chances of survival for babies with severe heart defects after delivery.

When is a fetal echocardiogram necessary?

Not all pregnant mothers need an echocardiogram. A standard prenatal ultrasound examination can provide information on whether the fetal heart has developed in all four chambers, and most pregnant women do not need any additional examination. Conditions that may require fetal echocardiography include:

•  If a sibling has a congenital heart defect at birth (present at birth)
• A family history of congenital heart disease (such as parents, aunts, uncles, or grandparents)
• Chromosomal or genetic abnormalities were found in the fetus
• If the mother takes certain medications that can cause congenital heart defects, such as antiepileptic drugs or prescription drugs for acne
• If the woman abuses alcohol or drugs during pregnancy
• If the woman has diabetes, phenylketonuria Symptoms or tissue diseases connective tissue such as lupus
• If a woman has rubella during pregnancy
• Routine prenatal ultrasound may reveal heart abnormalities

Fetal echocardiography is usually performed in the second trimester, around 18 weeks. This test is sometimes done early in pregnancy using a transvaginal ultrasound (the ultrasound probe is inserted into the mother’s vagina), but will be repeated later to confirm any findings.

How is a fetal echocardiogram performed?

Fetal echocardiography is performed by a specially trained pediatric cardiologist or a maternal-fetal specialist (also called a perinatal physician). The test can be performed by abdominal or transvaginal ultrasound.

Abdominal echocardiography

• In abdominal ultrasound, gel is applied to the abdomen and the ultrasound transducer slides over the gel on the abdomen to create an image.
• This ultrasound procedure is widely used to evaluate the fetal heart.
• During the test, you need to lie on the bed and apply lubricating gel to your abdomen.
•  Move the portable ultrasound transducer gently across the abdomen. The transducers emit high-frequency sound waves, which echo when they pass through the skin of the mother and baby and enter the heart tissue of the fetus. The
• Echo is reflected on the computer screen and creates an image that represents the area, shape, and structure of the heart.
•  After this process, the gel-like substance is cleaned off and you can go back to your day.
• The whole process takes about 30 to 120 minutes, depending on the complexity of the fetal heart.
• There was no pain or discomfort during the operation.

Transvaginal/ Endovaginal echocardiography

In transvaginal ultrasound, a small ultrasound transducer is inserted into the vagina and placed against the back of the vagina to create an image. Transvaginal ultrasound produces clearer images than abdominal ultrasound and is most often used in early pregnancy.

During the test, the probe will move to obtain images of different positions and structures of the fetal heart. Techniques sometimes used to obtain detailed information about the fetal heart include:

2D (two-dimensional) echocardiography

This technique is used to “see” the actual structure and movement of the structures in the heart. The 2D echo view is tapered on the monitor, allowing real-time observation of the movement of the heart structure. This allows doctors to view and evaluate various structures of the heart at work.

Doppler echocardiography This Doppler technique is used to measure and evaluate the blood flow through the chambers and valves of the heart. The amount of blood pumped in each beat is an indicator of heart function. In addition, Doppler can detect abnormal blood flow in the heart, which can indicate problems such as openings between the heart’s chambers, problems with one or more of the four heart valves, or problems with the heart wall.

Color Doppler

Color Doppler is an enhanced form of Doppler echocardiography. For color Doppler, different colors are used to specify the direction of blood flow. This simplifies the interpretation of Doppler images.

4D echocardiography

This process uses a special probe to obtain a series of images of the fetal heart. You can view photos in different planes at the same time or reconstruct them to get a real image of the heart. This technology helps experts better understand and detect heart conditions.