Can a major fetal malformation screening test detect congenital heart disease?

The fetal fetal anomaly screening can screen for congenital heart disease in the fetus to a certain extent, but it cannot be 100% accurate in diagnosis. In order to more comprehensively detect and diagnose congenital heart disease, in addition to the fetal fetal anomaly screening, fetal heart ultrasound or other special examinations can also be selected.

1) The relationship between major fetal malformation screening and congenital heart disease screening

Major fetal malformation screening mainly uses ultrasound imaging to evaluate the development of the fetal body structure, including the head, trunk, limbs and internal organs. In the examination of the fetal heart, major fetal malformation screening can observe whether there are obvious abnormalities in the heart structure through images such as four-chamber heart section and long axis section, such as atrioventricular defect, small or asymmetric heart and other common manifestations of congenital heart disease.

However, since the main purpose of a major fetal malformation screening is to identify major structural malformations in the fetus, its resolution and depth of inspection are limited. Some minor heart abnormalities, such as mild ventricular septal defects, may be difficult to detect during a regular major fetal malformation screening.

2) Application of fetal cardiac ultrasound

For high-risk pregnant women who are suspected of having a fetus with congenital heart disease, such as those with a family history of congenital heart disease, certain viral infections during pregnancy (such as rubella virus), and certain chronic metabolic diseases in the pregnant mother (such as diabetes), further diagnosis can be confirmed through fetal cardiac ultrasound examination. Fetal cardiac ultrasound is a sophisticated medical imaging technology that can detect more hidden congenital heart disease problems, such as transposition of the great arteries and tetralogy of Fallot, by evaluating the structure and function of the fetal heart.

3) How to improve the accuracy of inspection

To ensure the health of the fetus, pregnant women are advised to choose regular medical institutions to receive high-quality major fetal malformation screening and decide whether to conduct more in-depth examinations under the advice of professional doctors. If there are high-risk factors, such as advanced maternal age, abnormal pregnancy reactions, family medical history, etc., it is recommended to perform a detailed fetal heart ultrasound examination around 20-24 weeks of pregnancy.

4) Health factors that need attention in addition to ultrasound examination

Prevention of fetal congenital heart disease should start from the pregnancy preparation stage. Pregnant women should pay attention to controlling blood sugar, avoid smoking and drinking, ensure adequate folic acid intake, and avoid contact with possible sources of viral infection to reduce the risk of congenital heart disease.

Although the fetal fetal fetal anomaly screening is an important means of detecting fetal congenital heart disease, it is not a panacea. For the health of the fetus, pregnant women should follow the doctor's advice and cooperate with the necessary follow-up examinations and evaluations to maximize the safety and healthy growth of the fetus.