If the mother has specific health problems such as diabetes (the type that the mother had prior to pregnancy), phenylketonuria or autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosis.If the mother has taken medications that are known to cause congenital heart defects, Accutane, for example.If the unborn baby has been diagnosed with a genetic abnormality including disorders with abnormal number of chromosome Down syndrome, for example.If there is a known family history of disorders that are passed along from generation to generation such as Marfan's syndrome or tuberous sclerosis.First degree relative includes the mother or father of the baby as well as any siblings of the baby If a first degree relative has been diagnosed with a congenital heart defect.Who needs one?įetal echocardiograms are recommended for the following women: This enables the doctor to evaluate the structure and function of the fetal heart. The sound waves can also detect blood flow throughout the baby's heart. The ultrasound waves bounce off the baby's organs, including the heart and are sent back to the camera which thenĬreates a moving picture of the different parts of the heart for the doctor to evaluate. A small camera called a transducer is placed on the pregnant mother's abdomen and sends out ultrasonic sound waves. What is fetal echocardiogram?Ī fetal echocardiogram is a detailed ultrasound performed of the baby's heart before Your pediatric cardiologist will be able toĬounsel you as to the severity of your baby's heart defect.
Some require surgical repair in the newborn period and some may resolve on their own with time. Or be related to a disease the mother has, diabetes mellitus, for example.Ĭongenital heart defects range from mild to very severe. Although, some heart defects can run in families In most cases we don't know why these defects occur. Some mothers wonder if drugs, alcohol or medications contributed to their child's heart defect. A congenital heart defect usually occursīecause the heart does not twist or divide normally. The heart begins as a tube shaped structure that twists and divides to form the heart and heart valves. The baby's heart begins to form immediately after conception and is complete by eight week's gestation. It's seen in approximately 1% of babies born in the United States and is the most common form of birth defect. National Hypertension Control InitiativeĬongenital heart disease is a problem that occurs with the baby's heart while the baby is still developing.Pets and Your Health / Healthy Bond for Life.
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