Connecticut Children’s Fetal Cardiology Program — part of our renowned Fetal Care Center — provides advanced diagnosis and care for the fetus with congenital heart disease or other fetal heart abnormalities.
What is Fetal Cardiology?
Development of structural heart disease begins long before a baby is born. Fetal echocardiography allows our cardiologists to visualize and evaluate the heart while the mother is pregnant.
Diagnosis and Care
Some heart conditions can be treated before a baby is born. Using state-of-the-art fetal cardiac imaging, our experienced fetal cardiologists perform detailed evaluations of fetuses at risk for congenital heart disease or other fetal heart abnormalities.
Following each diagnosis, a fetal cardiologist will provide a complete explanation of the condition to the parents and family, along with a description of expected fetal and neonatal care, possible surgical interventions and a long-term prognosis.
Conditions that can be identified include:
- Abnormalities in heart structure
- Irregular or abnormal heart rhythm
- Problems with heart function
If a heart problem is detected before a baby is born, we will work with everyone involved with the care of both the mother and baby; this includes obstetricians, perinatologists, neonatologists, pediatricians, cardiologists, pediatric cardiac surgeons, fetal surgeons and others.
By providing comprehensive care and working as a team with everyone caring for mother and baby, everyone—including the parents—is aware of the heart condition and best prepared to care for the baby.
What to Expect at Your Fetal Echocardiogram
If your developing baby might be at risk of a heart condition, you’ll see a fetal cardiologist. These experts use special technology called a fetal echocardiogram to detect heart problems in utero – and begin important care and planning right away. Alicia Wang, MD, director of our fetal cardiology program, shares what to expect.
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