Fetal Heart Program

Each year in Virginia, 800 babies are born with a congenital heart defect. Almost 400 of these infants require medical intervention, typically open-heart surgery, soon after birth.

Our Fetal Heart Program specializes in the detection, evaluation and management of fetal cardiac defects and fetal cardiac rhythm disturbances.

Valuable Information Before Birth

Many heart defects can be detected while the baby is still in the womb. Thanks to modern technology, medical professionals, and parents, can be better prepared for the baby's arrival.

UVA Children’s Hospital has a Fetal Echocardiography Lab where medical professionals can diagnose a heart condition by using high-frequency sound waves (ultrasound) to get a detailed view of a fetus’s heart chambers, valves and major blood vessels. Our lab is fully accredited by the Intersocietal Commission for the Accreditation of Echocardiography Laboratories.

And mom and baby can receive care before and after birth all under one roof.

Fetal Heart Services We Offer

No other program in the state offers UVA’s breadth of services for congenital heart defects, including maternal fetal medicine, pediatric cardiology, neonatology and pediatric cardiovascular surgery.

Babies and children all get comprehensive care for congenital heart disease, including:

• A dedicated pediatric intensive care unit and a neonatal intensive care unit
• Consultation with surgeons to discuss postnatal surgical treatment
• Cardiac transplantation and heart failure management
• Fetal echo education     
• Genetic counseling and social services

When a Closer Look is Needed

Some pregnant women have a higher risk of giving birth to a baby with a heart defect. The American Heart Association recommends that a woman be referred for a fetal echocardiogram (a non-invasive test that gives a detailed look at the unborn child’s heart) if there is:

• A family history of congenital heart disease
• An abnormal fetal heart rhythm
• Fetal heart abnormalities detected during a routine pregnancy ultrasound scan or an abnormality of another major organ system
• Type 1 diabetes in the mother 
• Exposure to certain drugs in early pregnancy. For example, some anti-epileptic drugs can damage a developing heart.
• Abnormal amniotic fluid in the uterus

The UVA Fetal Heart Program Team

The Fetal Heart Program team at UVA includes pediatric cardiologists, pediatric cardiac surgeons, perinatologists, geneticists, nurses and social workers who provide care and support to families with children with heart disease.

Referring Physicians
Use this form (PDF) to refer a patient to UVA.