Fetal Echocardiography for Cardiac Abnormalities

Fetal echocardiography was performed by cardiac ultrasound specialists when abnormal auscultation of the fetal heart was detected at antenatal visits or during ultrasonographic examination.^{[8 (link),12 (link)]} Fetal cardiac function was also assessed using the fetal cardiovascular profile score that encompassed fetal-hydrops, abnormal venous and arterial Doppler findings, cardiomegaly, atrioventricular valve regurgitation, and cardiac dysfunction; each component was scored 1 to 2 points according to ultrasonographic examination.^{[13 (link)]}Fetal-hydrops was defined as the accumulation of abnormal fluid in at least 2 different fetal compartments, and included pleural effusion, pericardial effusion, and peritoneal effusion; skin edema (skin thickness > 5 mm); thickened placenta (≥4 cm in the second trimester or ≥ 6 cm in the third trimester); or polyhydramnios.^{[14 (link),15 (link)]} Fetal-hydrops was monitored every other 3-to-5-day period during pregnancy according to the intrauterine state of the arrhythmic fetus.^{[16 (link)]}