Echocardiographic Features Of Congenital Cardiac Anomaliesin A Fetus-A Descriptive Study

Abstract

AIMS & OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY: To describe the echocardiographic features of congenital cardiac anomalies in a fetus. SOURCE OF DATA: All pregnant women (between 16 weeks to 28 weeks of gestation) who came for antenatal scans to our department of radio-diagnosis, B.L.D.E.U’s Shri B.M. Patil Medical College Hospital and Research Centre were screened for congenital cardiac anomalies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 4693 fetuses between 16-28 weeks of gestational age were assessed for anomalies between August 1, 2013 to July 31, 2015. 33 fetuses found to have cardiac anomalies on routine obstetric scans and were subjected to detailed fetal echocardiographic scans at department of Radio-diagnosis BLDEA’s Shri B.M Patil Medical College, Hospital and Research Centre, Bijapur. Consent was taken for each case. RESULTS: Out of 4693 subjects studied, 33 (0.7%) had congenital cardiac defects that were randomly selected for screening, along with some of the high-risk cases. The maternal age range was from 16-36 years and the period of gestation ranging from 16 to 28 weeks. XI Ventricular septal defect was the most common defect (18.2%) found in our study followed by atrioventricular septal defect and other anomalies. In fetal echocardiography, using four chamber view, outflow tract views, three vessel view, short axis view of ventricles and aortic arch view we have described and identified the congenital cardiac anomalies. There were extracardiac associations noted with some of the cardiac anomalies. CONCLUSION: Fetal echocardiography is an important diagnostic tool in fetuses at risk of heart diseases, which in the hands of trained professional / fetal echocardiologist has high accuracy. Moreover, the imaging modality (ultrasound) is readily available. An early diagnosis provides professionals as well as families precious time to prepare for aneuploidy assessment and also prenatal & postnatal management. The following review will assert the value of fetal echocardiography, not only as a diagnostic tool but most importantly as a means to improve the outcomes of fetuses affected by cardiac diseases, by serial prognostication and in monitoring fetal therapy in certain cases and ruling out associated multisystem anomalies and aneuploidies.