Fetal Heart: Screening, Diagnosis And Intervention

Congenital anomalies are the greatest contributor to the infant death and congenital heart diseases (CHDs) account for up to 50% of these deaths. Congenital heart diseases with the highest incidence of extracardiac abnormalities (>25%) included heterotaxy, single left ventricle and tricuspid atresia, hypoplastic left heart syndrome, and tetralogy of Fallot (TOF).  It is the most common type of birth defect, accounting for one-third of all major congenital anomalies. For the clinicians and families, the major or critical cardiac defects carry the utmost importance since they may be either lethal or may require intervention in infancy of long-term follow-up.  About 1.35 million infants are born with CHD each year, with a worldwide occurrence of 7 per 1,000 live births. Prenatal detection of critical CHDs may help to enhance perinatal counseling and delivery planning. The fetal heart examination should be used in the evaluation of all fetuses carrying low risk for CHD. The fetal heart examination to maximize the detection of heart anomalies during a second-trimester scan in all fetuses and this examination should be an integral part of routine prenatal care.  Fetal Heart: Screening, Diagnosis, and Intervention is giving the means for the screening of the heart defect in both first and second trimesters.  This will help healthcare professionals caring for the pregnant women at the basic level of care, performing prenatal anomaly scan screening.