Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-31-2023
Identifier
DOI: 10.3390/children10020281; PMCID: PMC9955335
Abstract
Fetal echocardiography is an excellent tool for accurately assessing the anatomy and physiology of most congenital heart defects (CHDs). Knowledge gathered from a thorough initial fetal echocardiogram and serial assessment assists with appropriate perinatal care planning, resulting in improved postnatal outcomes. However, fetal echocardiography alone provides limited information about the status of the pulmonary vasculature, which can be abnormal in certain complex CHDs with obstructed pulmonary venous flow (hypoplastic left heart syndrome with restrictive atrial septum) or excessive pulmonary artery flow (d-transposition of the great arteries, usually with a restrictive ductus arteriosus). Fetuses with these CHDs are at high risk of developing severe hemodynamic instability with the immediate transition from prenatal to postnatal circulatory physiology at the time of birth. Adjunctive use of acute maternal hyperoxygenation (MH) testing in such cases can help determine pulmonary vascular reactivity in prenatal life and better predict the likelihood of postnatal compromise and the need for emergent intervention. This comprehensive review discusses the findings of studies describing acute MH testing in a diverse spectrum of CHDs and congenital diagnoses with pulmonary hypoplasia. We review historical perspectives, safety profile, commonly used clinical protocols, limitations, and future directions of acute MH testing. We also provide practical tips on setting up MH testing in a fetal echocardiography laboratory.
Journal Title
Children (Basel)
Volume
10
Issue
2
Keywords
congenital heart defects; delivery planning; fetal echocardiography; maternal hyperoxygenation test
Recommended Citation
Patel SR, Madan N, Jone PN, Donofrio MT. Utility of Fetal Echocardiography with Acute Maternal Hyperoxygenation Testing in Assessment of Complex Congenital Heart Defects. Children (Basel). 2023;10(2):281. Published 2023 Jan 31. doi:10.3390/children10020281
Comments
This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Publisher's Link: https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/10/2/281