Approximately 1 percent, or 40,000, babies in the United States are born with a congenital heart disease each year. That’s almost 5,000 babies in California alone. In order to catch problems as early as possible, fetal cardiology specialists at the CHOC Heart Institute work with pregnant women to evaluate, diagnose and manage babies in utero who may be at risk for congenital heart defects, heart failure or rhythm disturbances.
CHOC offers the only comprehensive fetal cardiology services in Orange County, and our team has advanced training in fetal echocardiography, fetal magnetic resonance imaging, electrophysiology and genetics.
“Fetal echocardiography is a powerful tool that helps identify significant abnormalities and allows for family, delivery and interventional planning as necessary,” says Wyman Lai, MD, who recently joined CHOC from Columbia University in New York to lead CHOC’s non-invasive cardiac imaging program.
Fetal cardiac imaging is performed using ultrasound machines with the highest resolution imaging available, including 2D and Doppler analysis, as well as 3D technology. This allows us to perform first trimester screening so that patients can be referred at the earliest stages of pregnancy.
CHOC board-certified cardiologists perform fetal echocardiograms in their offices to help detect heart abnormalities before birth. At the time of appointment, patients receive a comprehensive diagnosis and care plan. Depending on the child’s condition, referrals to other experts, such as cardiac interventionalists, cardiac electrophysiologists, cardiac surgeons and heart failure specialists will be provided as needed. Early intervention improves the chance of survival after delivery for babies with severe defects.
Who Should Have a Fetal Echocardiogram
Pregnancies may be at risk for congenital heart disease for a variety of reasons.
Fetal risk factors include:
- An abnormal appearing heart
- Abnormal heart rate or arrhythmia on routine screening ultrasound
- Aneuploidy (chromosomal abnormality)
- Increased nuchal translucency thickness at first trimester evaluation
- Noncardiac fetal structural abnormalities
- A two-vessel umbilical cord
- Identical twins
- Fluid accumulation in the fetus.
Maternal risk factors include:
- Maternal diabetes, lupus or other systemic disease that involves the heart
- First-trimester use of known teratogens
- Assisted reproduction technology
- Maternal congenital heart disease.
Familial risk factors include:
- A history of a previous child being born with a heart defect
- The father being born with a heart defect
- Other close relatives being born with heart defects or syndromes known to involve the heart.
Fetal Cardiology Referrals
If a pregnant woman is at high risk for delivering a child with congenital heart disease, our fetal cardiology specialists are available for consultation and referral. They can be reached at 714-509-3939, or you can find a fetal cardiologist here in our directory.
