title: Education in obstetrical ultrasound--an important factor for increasing the prenatal detection of congenital heart disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effects of postgraduate education in obstetrical ultrasound on the prenatal detection rate of congenital heart disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tertiary care center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Experienced and less experienced midwives performing ultrasound scans.
  
  
  METHODS
  Number of fetuses and live-born children with severe congenital heart malformations were extracted from patient records. The detection rates of experienced and less experienced midwives were compared following a postgraduate training program in obstetrical ultrasound.
  
  
  METHODS
  The prenatal detection rate of complex congenital heart malformations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prenatal detection rate for the entire unit increased significantly during the study period (32 vs. 69%, p < 0.05). Following education, we observed a significant increase in detection rates (21 vs. 67%, p < 0.01) among experienced midwives. In the group of less experienced midwives, we found a positive effect of training with considerably higher detection rates compared with results achieved by their more experienced colleagues before the program (40 vs. 21%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is a clear improvement in the prenatal detection rates of complex heart malformations following a postgraduate education in obstetrical ultrasound. Similar training should be offered to both midwives and doctors performing routine scans to increase the standards of antenatal screening for congenital heart disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Nina
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Asplin
authors.forename: Annika
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dellgren
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Conner
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002983:Clinical Competence; D004511:Education, Nursing, Graduate; D005260:Female; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008880:Midwifery / Q000193:education*; D009664:Norway; D011247:Pregnancy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013548:Sweden; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal