2. On the same subject of birth defects of the heart detected during pregnancy

Are there certain mothers who are at higher risk of birth defects of the heart?

          

          Certain mothers can be at higher risk of having babies with birth defects of the heart. However this risk is still very small. So, if in normal population the risk of having a baby with a heart defect is 1 per 100 (1%), this risk increases to 2-5 per 100 (2-5%) in high risk mothers. So even in high risk mothers more than 95% of the babies will have a normal heart.

Who are the women at a higher risk of having a baby with a heart defect?

·         Diabetic mothers

·         Family history of previous child with heart defect or if one of the parents has a heart defect

·         Detection of other abnormalities in the baby e.g. spine, kidney problems

·         Exposure of the mother to rubella infection (fever & rash) during pregnancy

·         Mothers who have undergone IVF treatment

What should these ‘high risk’ mothers do?

          These mothers should have an early anomaly scan followed by a specialized scan of the heart of the unborn baby. This scan is called a fetal echo-cardiogram and can be performed at 16-18 weeks of pregnancy. Here the baby’s heart is examined in detail to look for any abnormalities. When performed by skilled and trained professionals this scan will pick up most of the major abnormalities.

What can be done if there is a heart defect?

          The majority of heart defects are now treatable. Minor defects may need no treatment at all. Some might need only medications or minor procedures. Very complex heart defects may be more difficult to treat. So, deciding what to do if a heart defect is picked up in a pregnant woman depends on what the defect is, whether treatment is available and of course what the parents and family want to do. The doctors involved in the care of the pregnant woman will need to discuss with the family the options that are available to manage their pregnancy.