A practical approach to fetal heart scanning

Evaluation of the fetal heart can be readily incorporated into the obstetric ultrasound examination and need not add more than a few minutes to the examination. Correct analysis of the four-chamber view and both outflow tracts will exclude the majority of serious congenital heart disease. Where cardiac malformations are identified during pregnancy, parents should be referred to a pediatric cardiologist with expertise and experience of fetal heart scanning for further counseling. This allows for management of the pregnancy to be tailored to the parents wishes and the type of malformation found. (C) 2000 by W.B. Saunders Company.