XP: Fetal Echo?

lstaylor73

My SIL has to have a fetal echo soon. She's about 32 weeks along now and so far no complications, not even morning sickness.  Since I didn't make it that far is that standard procedure for all singleton pregnancies or is this a precautionary thing they do only if they have concerns?  What info can you tell me about it?

TIA!

Temp6313048411121614

I have no idea what it is, I didn't have it with DS.

jettagurl

I had one with DD ?at 22 weeks. ?DS (child #1) was born with a cong. heart defect, so this was done as a diagnostic for DD for heart defects. ?We had no clue that DS had a heart problem until he was born, and found out that day that he would ultimately need surgery. ?There was nothing genetic associated with his defect, but once you have a child with a heart defect, your likliness of having a second goes from like .5% to like 2%. ?I have a Fetal Echo scheduled for my twins next week at 22w3d. ? It is basically a 4-D ultrasound done by a perinatologist, then ?reviewed by a pediatric cardiologist. ?Bottom ?line - painless and she gets to see the baby again!?

I'm not sure why it would be indicated in your sister's case. ?I was told the typical time frame for this is 22-26 weeks. ?And my understanding is that it's not common at all, unless there is a history of heart problems in the siblings/parents/grandparents, or possibly if the U/S tech at the OB office has noticed something. ??

MarcieCasavant

Good luck to your sister. I hope they share with her any information or reason they are doing it. It is not routine. I hope everything turns out okay. Take Care, Marcie

maria15288

I never had one with my singletons but I did have one with the twins because the NT scan came back with a chance of a heart defect. I think they usually have a reason for doing it.

nsgriff

I had one a little less than two weeks ago because baby A has a single umbilical artery and they wanted a closer look at her heart. Mine was mainly a precaution to help determine where I need to deliver (e.g., if she needed cardiac surgery right after birth).

ktjune06

My MFM ordered one strictly because my pregnancy was from IVF.  He said it is pretty standard to due in that case.

10-9bbride

My Dr. sent me for one because we decided not to do an amnio since they would have had to do two at once and I was worried about miscarrying. ?My Dr. told me it was because children with Down's syndrome are often born with heart defects and it would be a good indicator if there was a problem. ?