Latest advances in fetal echocardiography

Abstract

Cardiac anomalies are the most commonly overlooked defects in prenatal ultrasound assessment. The issue of missed prenatal diagnosis is disturbing, particularly when it occurs against a background of tremendous skill and technologic support. New policies to minimize mistakes in this critical aspect need to reach a consensus. Recent new strategies should be put in place in a multidisciplinary manner if they are to have a significant clinical impact. Particularly relevant are the strategies to improve prenatal diagnosis of congenital heart defects, to advance gestational age at diagnosis, to identify new prenatal markers of heart defects and to incorporate new tools in the field of fetal echocardiography. As a result of these advances, the prenatal detection and diagnosis of coronary heart disease has developed an increasing impact on the perinatal outcome of pregnancies complicated by fetal heart disease. We review some of the recent developments in this multidisciplinary area.