Fetal echocardiography: a 9-year experience in Rajavithi Hospital (1999-2007 AD)

To determine obstetric characteristics of pregnant women underwent fetal echocardiography (FE), details of FE and postnatal echocardiographic abnormality.

Between January 1, 1999 and December 31, 2007, pregnant women who had the indication for FE were examined at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Rajavithi Hospital. Standard obstetric ultrasonographic examinations such as fetal biometry, placental localization, and congenital anomaly were initially performed. Then, extensive fetal echocardiographic examination including conventional real time B-mode and Doppler color flow mapping were performed in the following views: four chamber five chamber right long axis, left ventricular long axis, aortic arch, ductal arch, and short axis view of great vessels and ventricles.

Eight hundreds fifteen pregnant women were examined for FE (37 pairs of twin pregnancies but one pairs of them were single fetal demise and one triplet with a single fetal demise, so 852 fetuses were examined). The mean maternal and gestational ages at examination were 28.8 years and 27.3 weeks, respectively. The most common indication for FE was diabetes mellitus (25.6%). Percentages of abnormal and unsatisfied FE were 7.7% and 7.9%, respectively. The most common abnormal FE was generalized cardiomegaly (34.8%). Hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) was the most common cardiac abnormalities diagnosed by postnatal examination (16.6%).

Percentage of abnormal FE were 7.7%, most of them were generalized cardiomegaly The most common indication for FE was diabetes mellitus (25.6%). The most common abnormal postnatal echocardiography was HLHS (16.6%).