胎儿超声心动图

定义

胎儿超声心动图 is a test that uses sound waves (超声波) to evaluate the baby's heart for problems before birth.

How the Test is Performed

胎儿超声心动图 is a test that is done while the baby is still in the womb. It is most often done during the second trimester of pregnancy. This is when a woman is about 18 to 24 weeks pregnant.

The procedure is similar to that of a 妊娠超声. You will lie down for the procedure.

The test can be performed on your belly (abdominal 超声波) or through your vagina (经阴道超声).

In an abdominal 超声波, the person performing the test places a clear, water-based gel on your belly. A hand-held probe is moved over the area. The probe sends out sound waves, which bounce off the baby's heart and create a picture of the heart on a computer screen.

In a 经阴道超声, a much smaller probe is placed into the vagina. A 经阴道超声 can be done earlier in the pregnancy and produces a clearer image than an abdominal 超声波.

How to Prepare for the Test

No special preparation is needed for this test.

考试的感觉如何

The conducting gel may feel slightly cold and wet. You will not feel the 超声波 waves.

Why the Test is Performed

This test is done to detect a heart problem before the baby is born. It can provide a more detailed image of the baby's heart than a regular 妊娠超声.

测试可以显示:

• Blood flow through the heart
• 心脏的节奏
• Structures of the baby's heart

在下列情况下可以进行测试:

• A parent, sibling or other close family member had a heart defect or heart disease.
• A routine 妊娠超声 detected an abnormal heart rhythm or possible heart problem in the unborn baby.
• 母亲有 糖尿病 (怀孕前) 红斑狼疮, or 苯丙酮酸尿.
• 母亲有 风疹 during the first trimester of pregnancy.
• 母亲有 used medicines that can damage the baby's developing heart (such as some epilepsy drugs and prescription acne medicines).
• An 羊膜穿刺术 揭示了 染色体 障碍.
• There is some other reason to suspect that the baby is at higher risk for heart problems.

正常的结果

The echocardiogram finds no problems in the unborn baby's heart.

What Abnormal Results Mean

Abnormal results may be due to:

• A problem with the way the baby's heart has formed (先天性心脏病)
• A problem with the way the baby's heart works
• 心脏的节奏 disturbances (心律失常)

The test may need to be repeated.

风险

There are no known risks to the mother or unborn baby.

注意事项

Some heart defects cannot be seen before birth, even with fetal echocardiography. These include small holes in the heart or mild valve problems. 也, because it may not be possible to see every part of the large blood vessels leading out of the baby's heart, problems in this area may go undetected. It may still be necessary to repeat an 超声波 of the baby's heart following delivery to confirm findings seen on fetal echocardiography and evaluate areas not previously seen clearly.

If the health care provider finds a problem in the structure of the heart, a detailed 超声波 may be done to look for other problems with the developing baby.

参考文献

Donofrio MT, Moon-Grady AJ, Hornberger LK, et al. Diagnosis and treatment of fetal cardiac disease: a scientific statement from the American Heart Association. 循环. 2014;129(21):2183-2242. PMID: 24763516 www.ncbi.nlm.国家卫生研究院.gov / pubmed / 24763516 /.

Guthrie J, Hagen-Ansert SL. 胎儿超声心动图: 先天性心脏病. 见:Hagen-Ansert SL，主编. Textbook of Diagnostic Sonography. 9th ed. St Louis, MO: Elsevier; 2023:chap 36.

Stamm ER, rose JA. 胎儿心脏. In: Rumack CM, Levine D, eds. 诊断超声. 5日艾德. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2018:chap 37.