Congenital heart defects are the most frequent anomalies with a prevalence of 8 per 1000 livebirths. The prevalence and the spectrum of prenatal detected heart malformations, the reliability of the fetal echocardiography to define congenital heart anomalies exactly, and the necessary views for the diagnosis are rarely examined. Between July 1997 and August 1998, 1,680 pregnant women underwent fetal echocardiography. In the same time children without prenatal diagnosis also underwent echocardiography immediately after birth. Results: 35 fetuses in the prenatal group and 39 children in the postnatal group with congenital structural cardiac malformations and arrhythmias were identified. Prenatal diagnosed heart malformations had a higher incidence of complex cardiac abnormalities and a lower incidence of septal cardiac abnormalities. The fetal echocardiography wasnt only able to detect heart defect, but also to specify them exactly. Extended echocardiography comprised the four-chamber view and further views were necessary, because especially heart defects - not visible in the four-chamber view - had a better survivability and operability. Conclusion: The fetal echocardiography is a suitable method to specify heart defects and to plan the management for the further treatment during pregnancy as well as the monitoring and therapy during and after birth. A precise prenatal diagnosis is important, because progress in prenatal diagnosis, children cardiology and cardiac surgery allow to heal heart defects, which were palliative treated in the past.
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Congenital heart defects are the most frequent anomalies with a prevalence of 8 per 1000 livebirths. The prevalence and the spectrum of prenatal detected heart malformations, the reliability of the fetal echocardiography to define congenital heart anomalies exactly, and the necessary views for the diagnosis are rarely examined. Between July 1997 and August 1998, 1,680 pregnant women underwent fetal echocardiography. In the same time children without prenatal diagnosis also underwent echocardiogr...
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