Utility of fetal echocardiography after normal cardiac imaging findings on detailed fetal anatomic ultrasonography.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to assess the utility of fetal echocardiography (FE) after normal fetal cardiac imaging findings during detailed fetal anatomic ultrasonography (FAU).


METHODS
We conducted a retrospective cohort review of obstetric ultrasonographic studies from November 2001 through July 2005. We identified women with a singleton gestation with increased risk for congenital heart disease who received FAU performed by a maternal-fetal medicine specialist at 16 to 20 weeks' gestation with subsequent FE. These records were compared with newborn outcomes.


RESULTS
Of 789 pregnancies that had FAU and FE, 481 had satisfactory cardiac imaging. Of those, only 1 fetus had abnormal FE findings. After delivery, 4 of the 480 neonates with normal FAU and FE findings had a diagnosis of a heart defect.


CONCLUSIONS
Fetal echocardiography does not substantially increase the detection rate of major cardiac anomalies after normal findings on detailed FAU performed by a maternal-fetal medicine specialist.
Starikov
Roman S
RS
Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Baystate Medical Center, Tufts University School of Medicine, Springfield, MA 01199-0001, USA. roman.starikov@bhs.org
Bsat
Fadi A
FA
Knee
Alexander B
AB
Tsirka
Anna E
AE
Paris
Yvonne
Y
Markenson
Glenn R
GR
D004452:Echocardiography / Q000379:methods*; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008404:Massachusetts / Q000453:epidemiology; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods; D012307:Risk Factors; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal / Q000379:methods*