KUMJ | VOL. 17 | NO. 3 | ISSUE 67 | JULY-SEPT. 2019
Indications of Fetal Echocardiography and Detection of Congenital Heart Disease Prenatally in Tertiary Care Hospital
Joshi A, Shrestha RPB, Shrestha PS
Abstract: Background
Congenital Heart Diseases are common childhood congenital anomalies
encountered in developed and developing countries. Due to the improved prenatal
diagnostic modalities, the diagnosis of cardiac disease is increasing in newborns.
Fetal echocardiography is considered a good and accurate diagnostic method for
congenital heart disease.
Objective
To study the common indications of fetal echocardiography and the detection of
congenital heart disease in Dhulikhel Hospital, Kathmandu University Hospital.
Method
In this hospital-based, retrospective study, we reviewed medical records of 324
fetuses who were indicated for fetal echocardiography at Dhulikhel Hospital over 24
months period of time (September 1, 2017 to August 31, 2019).
Result
The mean age of pregnant women at presentation for fetal echocardiography was
30.7 ± 4.7 years. The mean gestational age at diagnosis was 28.9 ± 4.9 weeks.
Among all the pregnant women, 208 (65%) presented during the second trimester
and 112 (35%) presented during the third trimester. Maternal indications for fetal
echocardiography were seen in48.12% cases, whereas fetal indications were seen in
42.81% cases. The most common indication was for maternal gestational diabetes
(30.31%). Among the 324fetal echocardiography results, 65.43% cases had normal
findings, echogenic intra-cardiac foci were seen in 18.82% and significant abnormal
findings were seen in 15.74% of cases. Among all women having maternal indication
for echocardiography, 34 (22.07%) fetus had some form of abnormal findings,
whereas only 17 (12.40%) fetus with fetal indication showed abnormal findings (p
< 0.05).
Conclusion
Indication of fetal echocardiography is increasing and can be a good diagnostic
tool to improve prognosis and outcome of a newborn. It has become widely used
in pediatric cardiology. Raising awareness is necessary regarding the importance of
fetal echocardiography in the management and outcome of a newborn with cardiac
anomalies.
Keyword : Congenital heart disease, Fetal echocardiography, Newborn
