Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 13, 2025
Murine Fetal Echocardiography
Published on: February 15, 2013
Fetal cardiac diagnostics in Indonesia: a study of screening and echocardiography
Muhammad Adrianes Bachnas1, Wiku Andonotopo2, Adhi Pribadi3
1Maternal-Fetal Medicine Division, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical Faculty of Sebelas Maret University, Dr. Moewardi Hospital, Solo, Surakarta, Indonesia.
Insights
Accurate prenatal detection of congenital heart defects (CHDs) in Indonesia faces disparities. Emerging technologies like AI and telemedicine offer solutions to improve screening and access, but require infrastructure and training to overcome adoption barriers.
Area of Science:
- Medical Diagnostics
- Public Health
- Biotechnology
Background:
- Congenital heart defects (CHDs) are a major global cause of newborn illness and death.
- Indonesia faces challenges in prenatal CHD detection, with limited access to high-sensitivity fetal echocardiography (FE) in rural areas.
- Current fetal cardiac screening (FCS) in Indonesia has low sensitivity (40-60%), while FE is resource-intensive.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze diagnostic disparities in prenatal congenital heart defect (CHD) detection in Indonesia.
- To explore the potential of emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI) and telemedicine, in addressing these disparities.
- To identify barriers to the adoption of advanced diagnostic technologies and propose solutions for equitable access.
Main Methods:
- Review of current diagnostic methods for congenital heart defects (CHDs) in Indonesia, including fetal cardiac screening (FCS) and fetal echocardiography (FE).
- Analysis of technological advancements, specifically AI-enhanced diagnostics and telemedicine, for improving CHD detection.
- Examination of infrastructural, financial, regulatory, and training-related barriers to technology adoption.
Main Results:
- AI-enhanced diagnostics show potential to increase FCS sensitivity by up to 30%, improving its effectiveness as a preliminary screening tool.
- Telemedicine platforms can connect rural healthcare providers with urban specialists, extending access to expert consultations for fetal echocardiography (FE).
- Significant barriers, including inadequate infrastructure, regulatory hurdles, and limited training, impede the widespread implementation of these technologies.
Conclusions:
- Integrating AI and telemedicine can significantly improve the accuracy and accessibility of prenatal CHD diagnostics in Indonesia.
- Addressing implementation challenges requires standardized national protocols, capacity building, and public-private partnerships.
- Systemic reforms and technological integration are essential for achieving equitable CHD diagnostics and improving maternal and neonatal outcomes in Indonesia.
Introduction:
Congenital heart defects (CHDs) are a leading cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality globally. Accurate prenatal detection is crucial to improving neonatal outcomes. In Indonesia, two primary methods are used: fetal cardiac screening (FCS), which is accessible but limited in sensitivity (40-60 %), and fetal echocardiography (FE), the gold standard with over 90 % sensitivity but limited access due to infrastructural and financial challenges.
Content:
This review analyzes Indonesia's diagnostic disparities, highlighting how rural regions rely heavily on FCS, while FE remains restricted to urban centers. Emerging technologies, such as AI-enhanced diagnostics and telemedicine, show promise in bridging gaps by increasing FCS accuracy and extending access to FE through remote consultations.
Summary:
AI has the potential to boost FCS sensitivity by up to 30 %, making it an effective preliminary screening tool, while telemedicine platforms connect rural practitioners to urban specialists. However, barriers like insufficient infrastructure, regulatory issues, and limited training hinder widespread adoption.
Outlook:
Addressing these gaps requires standardized national protocols, capacity-building initiatives, and public-private partnerships to finance infrastructure and reduce costs. With technology integration and systemic reforms, Indonesia can achieve equitable CHD diagnostics, improving maternal and neonatal outcomes and aligning with global standards.
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