News | Fetal Echocardiography During Pregnancy: Supporting a Healthy Start
The incidence of fetal heart abnormalities is gradually increasing. Although congenital heart disease remains rare, it may affect about 8 in every 1,000 pregnancies. To meet growing demand, the Smidt Heart Institute at Cedars-Sinai has expanded its congenital and pediatric cardiac services, bringing specialized diagnosis and treatment to the Helen and Will Webster Heart & Vascular Center at Huntington Health.
Fetal Echocardiography: An Important Test for High-Risk Pregnancies
What Is a Fetal Echocardiogram?
A fetal echocardiogram is an ultrasound examination of the fetal heart used mainly to assess whether it is developing normally. Dr. Tran said pregnant patients with the following risk factors may need fetal echocardiography:
Family history of heart disease
Structural heart defect or abnormal heart rhythm in the fetus
Gestational diabetes
Multiple pregnancy
What Types of Abnormalities Can Be Detected?
Dr. Garg added that fetal heart abnormalities may involve the heart’s structure or rhythm. For example, an excessively fast or slow fetal heart rate can have serious consequences, including fetal death or the need for early delivery. Common developmental abnormalities include:
Abnormal holes in the heart
Blocked or leaking heart valves
Underdevelopment of one side of the heart
Early Diagnosis: Supporting Families and Care Teams
How Do Diagnostic Results Help Families?
Dr. Tran said that if a serious structural heart problem is detected, the entire delivery plan may need to change. Obstetricians, maternal-fetal medicine specialists, nurses, cardiologists, and cardiac surgeons may work closely together to ensure the baby is born and treated in the safest setting.
Learning about the fetal condition in advance is important not only for medical decisions but also for psychological and emotional support. Dr. Garg said parents can prepare by understanding their baby’s health, learning about the condition, and, when necessary, emotionally preparing for the possibility that their baby may not be completely healthy.
The Cedars-Sinai Advantage
Cedars-Sinai’s academic medical center provides continuous, coordinated care for mother and baby. Patients can deliver in their own rooms, while newborns needing intensive care can immediately receive treatment from specialists in the same building. This continuity helps avoid separating mother and baby while supporting efficient care and family well-being.
The Smidt Heart Institute also provides comprehensive care from the fetal period through adulthood, serving as a medical home throughout the patient’s life.
News | Fetal Echocardiography During Pregnancy: Supporting a Healthy Start
News | Fetal Echocardiography During Pregnancy: Supporting a Healthy Start
The incidence of fetal heart abnormalities is gradually increasing. Although congenital heart disease remains rare, it may affect about 8 in every 1,000 pregnancies. To meet growing demand, the Smidt Heart Institute at Cedars-Sinai has expanded its congenital and pediatric cardiac services, bringing specialized diagnosis and treatment to the Helen and Will Webster Heart & Vascular Center at Huntington Health.
Fetal Echocardiography: An Important Test for High-Risk Pregnancies
What Is a Fetal Echocardiogram?
A fetal echocardiogram is an ultrasound examination of the fetal heart used mainly to assess whether it is developing normally. Dr. Tran said pregnant patients with the following risk factors may need fetal echocardiography:
Family history of heart disease
Structural heart defect or abnormal heart rhythm in the fetus
Gestational diabetes
Multiple pregnancy
What Types of Abnormalities Can Be Detected?
Dr. Garg added that fetal heart abnormalities may involve the heart’s structure or rhythm. For example, an excessively fast or slow fetal heart rate can have serious consequences, including fetal death or the need for early delivery. Common developmental abnormalities include:
Abnormal holes in the heart
Blocked or leaking heart valves
Underdevelopment of one side of the heart
Early Diagnosis: Supporting Families and Care Teams
How Do Diagnostic Results Help Families?
Dr. Tran said that if a serious structural heart problem is detected, the entire delivery plan may need to change. Obstetricians, maternal-fetal medicine specialists, nurses, cardiologists, and cardiac surgeons may work closely together to ensure the baby is born and treated in the safest setting.
Learning about the fetal condition in advance is important not only for medical decisions but also for psychological and emotional support. Dr. Garg said parents can prepare by understanding their baby’s health, learning about the condition, and, when necessary, emotionally preparing for the possibility that their baby may not be completely healthy.
The Cedars-Sinai Advantage
Cedars-Sinai’s academic medical center provides continuous, coordinated care for mother and baby. Patients can deliver in their own rooms, while newborns needing intensive care can immediately receive treatment from specialists in the same building. This continuity helps avoid separating mother and baby while supporting efficient care and family well-being.
The Smidt Heart Institute also provides comprehensive care from the fetal period through adulthood, serving as a medical home throughout the patient’s life.
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