What fetal cardiology is
Congenital heart disease is the most common congenital abnormality. The fetal cardiologist is the pediatric cardiologist who specializes in examining the fetal heart before birth, with the aim of making an early diagnosis and planning the delivery and the management correctly.
When a specialist cardiac assessment is requested
- A suspicious finding on the level II ultrasound.
- A family history of congenital heart disease.
- Maternal diabetes mellitus or autoimmune disease.
- Use of certain medications during pregnancy.
- Increased nuchal translucency in the first trimester.
- Fetal heart rhythm abnormalities.
- Twin or higher-order multiple pregnancy.
Why it matters
When serious heart disease is diagnosed before birth, delivery can be planned at a center with pediatric cardiac surgery support, and the team receiving the newborn can be ready from the first moment. That difference in preparation is decisive. The examination itself is described in the Fetal Echocardiography section.