March 2015 Moms

Possible heart issues?

I had my a/s today. They're having me come back next week to re-do some photos of the heart. The tech said she couldn't get good photos- but yet I saw the heart clear as day, and she was able to see the blood flow, etc. Then, 30 minutes into it the baby moved. She got the Dr. to come in and try to get some shots of the heart, but again she said that "everything that I see looks good, but I can't see good angles of the heart to confirm". This has never happened to me before, so I don't know...I don't know if this is code for "We may see something, but want you to come back to confirm". Ugh. 

Has this happened to any of you, whether it was the heart, abdominal organs, etc.? Should I worry, or just trust the Dr. that it was just bad positioning?

Thanks ladies,

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Re: Possible heart issues?

  • colleen4019colleen4019 member
    edited October 2014
    I have no personal experience but I can't imagine that they would lie to you and say it looks good if there was actually an issue.

    ETA- my thoughts are with you while you sort this out.
  • @adrianlmyers, thank you for putting my mind at ease. 

    and @colleen4019, when they said everything looked good, they meant all other areas of the body. Not the heart. That's why I'm scared. 

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  • @cafecreme‌ sorry I must have misread. Still, I know it's hard but I would try bit to worry until they actually give you something to worry about.
  • edited October 2014

    I'm guessing that the doctor would have let you know if there was really something to worry about.

    But, I'm sorry you are going through this stress.  My boyfriends brother was born with an enlarged heart so there is some concern for my baby.  Now, this was most likely due to the fact that his mother did drugs through the entire pregnancy, but it still freaks me out every time I go for an ultrasound. A specialist is coming in to take a peek at the heart during my anatomy scan next week.  I'm praying that everything looks good and I can at least have half my pregnancy free of terrible stress! 


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  • I suspect there are so many small things they are looking for that they couldn't see one in the position. Deep breaths and try not to borrow trouble. (Easier said than done!)
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  • I (thankfully) don't have any experience with this, so I can't imagine how worried you are. T&P are you with you and your family while you wait to find out more. As PPs said, deep breaths! :)

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  • Im sorry you are going through this. I have no experience but it sounds like they just want to get a view of the heart ftom all angles. I hope all goes well at the next visit and baby has a healthy heart!
  • I had a repeat a/s yesterday because they couldn't clearly see all the chambers of the heart last time. The OB told me the same thing, what they could see looked good, but they couldn't see everything. FWIW several of us are having to repeat part of the a/s because they couldn't get everything they needed, usually because baby has been in a weird position. I hope it turns out to be nothing though.

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  • 2Swanns2Swanns member
    edited October 2014
    In my centering group, 4 out of 7 of us had to go back because they couldn't get a good view of something - it's very common. In fact, I just went back for mine today because they couldn't get a good view of the spine. I too thought I could see the spine just fine, but they have VERY specific little things they are looking for that we have no idea about. She rambled off about 5 different things they look for on the spine. The baby also has to be in a certain position and they don't always cooperate.

    My motto is not to worry unless I'm given a reason too. There are too many variables to consider. Deep breaths!
  • Thank you all. Your responses have made me a little less stressed. I wasn't aware that repeat a/s were common. A lot has been going on lately in my life (if you've read, my MIL has been in the hospital for the past week and diagnosed with Gullian-Barre Syndrome on top of her heart disease). 

    Thank you again ladies. You're all great. 

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  • I would try not to think too much into it. It doesnt sound like they hinted anything was wrong, just baby was in a bad position. Try to stay calm!
  • They couldn't get the right angle of the spine so I had to go back. It doesn't always mean there is a problem don't worry!
  • I agree with PPs, it seems like she really meant that she needed to see baby from the right angle and couldn't. I have a coworker who had to go for 3 anatomy scans!

    Sorry to hear that things have been rough for you lately. I hope your MIL makes a full recovery, and I hope your next a/s goes better!
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  • Sorry I'm late seeing this. I don't have any experience but agree with PPs, try not to worry (as hard as that is). Sending you some positive energy that next A/S gives you peace of mind and that baby cooperates for a better look next time!
  • Sending thoughts and prayers your way! I am sort of in the same boat--going in for an echocardiogram and detailed u/s this thurs to make sure baby's heart looks OK. So nerve wracking!!

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  • Happened to me at a scan with my son.  They couldn't see all four chambers of the heart and couldn't find one of the kidneys.  Went back four weeks later and found a healthy heart and two healthy kidneys.  I'd go back for the follow-up scan for ease of mind, but don't worry too much!  Sometimes the baby gets into a position where it's just hard to see.  My son apparently liked to get into positions that made everything hard to see!

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  • I have to agree that if a dr. Came in and looked at the scan something would have been said to you. Just breath, you have a lot going on. >:D<
    Thanks chunkymonkey >:D<

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  • Big hugs to you -- so much on your plate lately! IA with everyone who said likely just a routine repeat. Looking forward to hearing the update!
  • Try not to stress out over this. Try to find things to keep your mind off of it until your next u/s.

    With my first pregnancy my DD had PAC. It is a heart condition where the heart would skip a beat due to one of the valves not being completely formed yet. It was very scary, yet when she was born it was all ok. Just have faith that your doctor would tell you if they saw something wrong. I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers.
  • Yes, what PP have said. My tech spent 10 minutes trying to get all the shots of the heart she needed, went on to everything else, then came back and spent another 10 minutes to finally get them. She said normally they would just reschedule but she would keep trying if I had time. My baby was moving around a lot during the ultrasound and that was definitely a factor, so maybe yours was too? The measurements/shots they're looking for are so specific that we as laymen wouldn't be able to recognize a useful image from a non-useful one. I'm sure they're just being thorough - try not to worry!

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  • Praying that things turn out well. I've had one of my kids with a non-life threatening (but still very scary) heart defect but it wasn't seen prenatally. It's always scary when they see that something could be wrong. Try your best to not worry about it until your dr gives you more info. Here is something that I've learned, and it may come out to be Debbie Downer but it's meant to inform- 1 in about 100 babies will be born with a heart defect. That means anywhere from mild that corrects itself, to major and needing life saving surgery. Luckily- many of the babies are diagnosed prenatally or before they leave the hospital. Most states do a pulse ox test now before you and your baby are discharged. Most people don't even know that the test is done- it's literally a little glow dot sticker put on the baby to measure how much oxygen the baby is using. If for some reason it's low, there is a red flag sent up. If you still feel uneasy about things after your baby is born, you CAN ask for an echocardiogram and many times, if there is valid reason (such as "things were seen prenatally), they will do one. The most important thing I've learned being a mom (working on #5!) is Trust Your Gut. If you feel something isn't right, you need to speak up. YOU are your child's voice. So there's my PSA.
    And sorry that was so long and kinda rambly.
  • Thoughts and prayers to you!
  • Praying that things turn out well. I've had one of my kids with a non-life threatening (but still very scary) heart defect but it wasn't seen prenatally. It's always scary when they see that something could be wrong. Try your best to not worry about it until your dr gives you more info. Here is something that I've learned, and it may come out to be Debbie Downer but it's meant to inform- 1 in about 100 babies will be born with a heart defect. That means anywhere from mild that corrects itself, to major and needing life saving surgery. Luckily- many of the babies are diagnosed prenatally or before they leave the hospital. Most states do a pulse ox test now before you and your baby are discharged. Most people don't even know that the test is done- it's literally a little glow dot sticker put on the baby to measure how much oxygen the baby is using. If for some reason it's low, there is a red flag sent up. If you still feel uneasy about things after your baby is born, you CAN ask for an echocardiogram and many times, if there is valid reason (such as "things were seen prenatally), they will do one. The most important thing I've learned being a mom (working on #5!) is Trust Your Gut. If you feel something isn't right, you need to speak up. YOU are your child's voice. So there's my PSA. And sorry that was so long and kinda rambly.
    Nope. Don't apologize. I never knew about that dot thing, so thank you for that! I'm sure other moms learned something new too from your post. 

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  • I just saw this but wanted to say I'm sending positive thoughts your way. My youngest was born with two heart defects (one of them severe) and they weren't detected on our anatomy scan. Thankfully it was discovered and after having a successful open-heart surgery at 9 days old she has grown into a wild and crazy 3 yr old! Hopefully it's just a matter of not getting a good angle and if it's more than that remember that even if there are issues you can ha
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  • Sorry for the cut off post...TB is being weird.

    Just wanted to say that even if there are problems please know that you can still end up with a good outcome even though it's scary as hell. Thinking of you!
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  • What heart defect did she have? Are you part of any heart moms groups?
  • She had a VSD and a severe coarctation of the aortic valve. I'm not part of any heart moms groups but have spent time on the special needs board.
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  • I just had an US and the doctor told us that there was a "bright spot" on her heart and an enlarged kindney.... She told us not to worry since my quad test came back negative for everything. Have any of y'all been thru this?? As a parent I'm scared! My first child had no problems. Please give me some advice/feed back!!
  • They have so many shots they need to get and babies don't always cooperate as much as they need to. Usually when the doctor comes in after the tech gets the images they are completely honest even if they think they might see something but don't know. Chances are they just didn't get everything they need. I know I have to go back so they can get more images of baby boys spine (he was laying on it) and baby girls heart (she has been difficult to photograph since the beginning because she is always very curled up).
  • We have a follow up the 18th. Just scary.... You know?
  • I can verify that if something is really truly wrong, they tell you right away and you suddenly have WAY more appts. No one messes around with that. Our little girl was diag w an irreg HB at 17 wks. I was sent to see an obstetric cardiologist right away. The dr literally called from the scan room to make my appt for me. I now go weekly for scans and am being monitored by 4 doctors!!!
  • jacqueleen1jacqueleen1 member
    edited October 2014
    @cafecream please please dont be nervous about this. I am a sonographer and about 30% of our fetal survey patients have to come back for heart views. They are the hardest pictures to get. You may see the heart perfect, but we have to get the 4 chamber heart and then separate  pictures of tiny pulmonary arteries (RVOT) and aorta (LVOT) exiting those ventricles perfectly. It is not an easy shot  and sometimes the baby does not cooperate by being in a good position. This also happens with the spine sometimes if the baby is spine down we cant get perfect views. It is very common. I hope this helps reassure you 


    Edit: Also heart defects are sadly rarely seen on ultrasound because they are just so subtle it is difficult to diagnose. VSD can be seen, but ASD cannot be diagnosed by ultrasound. 
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  • Mkramer13 said:

    I just had an US and the doctor told us that there was a "bright spot" on her heart and an enlarged kindney.... She told us not to worry since my quad test came back negative for everything. Have any of y'all been thru this?? As a parent I'm scared! My first child had no problems. Please give me some advice/feed back!!

    I literally *just* went through this last week. Thankfully the EIF (bright spot in the heart) was not seen again and her kidneys are just within the "normal" limits before they consider it hydronephrosis. We had worry because we have a daughter born with a heart defect and a son born with kidney defects. So far so good- and they are right, if your blood screening showed a very low risk, you probably don't have much to worry about. Easier said than done, I know. My suggestion is to write a list of questions you'd like to have answered before your next scan (I'm assuming they are sending you for a follow up?) that way you feel a little more prepared. We will have to go back as well since her kidneys are borderline, my dr wants a fetal echo done because of our other daughter and I have a very low lying placenta. Good luck and hugs!!!!
  • @cafecreme hoping it's nothing other than baby not being in the right position!
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  • Thank you all so much. We go back for another sonogram with a higher doctor that is coming from a few hours away to the base. She will explain everything she sees in detail!
  • Late to this but we had similar with our 2nd. They couldn't visualize his stomach and my fluid levels were apparently high. The doctor was an ass though. We had a follow up and everything was fine but it was scary as hell. Hugs and fingers crossed it was just a position thing.
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