First-trimester fetal echocardiography is a valuable tool for the early diagnosis of complex congenital heart disease in fetuses presenting with increased nuchal translucency and bradycardia.
Should not change screening practice; case reports leave routine first-trimester echocardiography role open.
Prevalence of congenital heart disease increases with nuchal translucency (NT) thickness. First-trimester fetal bradycardia may result from heart block associated with complex congenital heart disease. We report two cases detected in the first trimester of pregnancy, in which both fetuses showed an increased nuchal translucency and bradycardia. Fetal karyotype was normal in both fetuses. First-trimester fetal echocardiography was performed and, in both cases, complex congenital heart disease was diagnosed. We discuss the added role of fetal heart rate in first-trimester ultrasound screening, in fetuses with increased nuchal translucency and normal karyotype. We stress, as well, the importance of echocardiography performed in the first trimester as a potential tool for early diagnosis in selected cases.
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Sciarrone et al. (2005) studied this question.
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