Reasons to see a fetal cardiologist

Fetal cardiologists are pediatric cardiologists who have special expertise in the diagnosis and management of problems that affect a baby’s heart, both before and after birth. There are a number of reasons for your doctor to ask you to see a fetal cardiologist.

Reasons to see a fetal cardiologist

• Suspected or confirmed diagnosis of heart disease in your baby
• Irregular, fast, or slow fetal heart beats (called fetal arrhythmia)
• Twin-twin transfusion syndrome
• Suspected genetic syndromes (such as Down syndrome) that may be associated with heart problems in your baby
• Medical conditions that you may have (such as diabetes or lupus) that may affect how your baby’s heart is formed or how it functions
• Medications that you may be taking that could have an effect on your baby’s heart development
• Family history of congenital heart disease that puts your baby at risk of being born with a heart problem
• Other abnormalities that have been detected and are associated with congenital heart disease (including congenital diaphragmatic hernia and gastroschesis)
• Abnormalities that might put extra stress on your baby’s heart including sacrococcygeal teratoma and congenital pulmonary airway malformation (CPAM)