One of the newest areas of Pediatric Cardiology is Fetal Cardiology. The newest Echocardiographic equipment allows imaging of the fetal heart by 18 to 20 weeks gestational age. We are now able to accurately diagnose most complex congenital heart problems with this technology. This has allowed Pediatric Cardiologists and Maternal-Fetal Medicine specialists to relieve the family’s anxiety if the baby’s heart appears normal, or to counsel families with a baby with a heart problem as to what to expect when the new baby arrives. We are also able to plan for delivery of an infant with a congenital heart problem, at a center that is equipped to deal with the new baby’s problem in a timely and appropriate fashion. There are also some centers in the US which are beginning to experiment with prenatal treatment of some of these problems, such as dilating valves which are too tight, using special balloons. Although the success rates are mixed, this is a very exciting development.
The incidence of congenital heart problems in the general population is about 6 to 8/1000 live births. In families where one parent has a congenital heart problem, the recurrence rate is about 3 to 5%. As patients with congenital heart problems grow to child bearing age, the importance of this testing will increase. It is a test that all patients with congenital heart disease will undoubtedly wish to have done.
Dr. Marc Levine
Pediatric Cardiologist
