A baby’s circulation before birth works differently from a newborn’s. From the moment the baby forms until birth, it receives its oxygen through the mother’s blood rather than through its own lungs, which aren’t yet working. That blood reaches the baby through two openings that must stay open throughout the pregnancy and then close after birth.
In certain cases, a woman will be referred during pregnancy for a fetal echocardiogram — a scan whose purpose is to assess the state of the heart (which can affect the rest of the organs). The scan makes it possible to prepare for medical intervention where it’s needed — usually after birth, and under certain conditions even before, through intrauterine intervention.
The scan is performed by a specialist pediatric cardiologist, externally — an ultrasound over the mother’s abdomen. During the scan, the baby’s heart is examined in full: veins, arteries, atria and ventricles, along with the flow across the valves, heart function, and blood flow.
For women where there’s a suspicion of a problem in the structure of the baby’s heart, and for women in a risk group (for whom it’s recommended in every pregnancy), including:
And for babies at risk, diagnosed with one or more of the following:
Worth noting: not every defect can be diagnosed in the early stages of pregnancy — some are very subtle early on and worsen only as the pregnancy goes on, such as a very mild narrowing of a valve.
The clinic uses advanced technology and offers readily available appointments. In urgent cases, you can be seen at the clinic even without booking ahead.
