Finding the right tests…
Emergency services available 24 x 7
Emergency services available 24 x 7
Finding the right tests…
Sonography
FOETAL ECHO is a detailed ultrasound of your baby's heart alone, not the whole-body check done at a routine pregnancy scan. It's usually done in the second trimester, around 18 to 24 weeks, and looks closely at the heart's chambers, its rhythm, and how blood flows through it. Your doctor reaches for this scan when there's a specific reason to look closer at the heart: a family history of heart defects, an abnormal finding on an earlier scan, or a maternal condition such as diabetes or lupus. A routine anatomy scan only checks the heart at a basic level; this scan goes much further, built around the heart specifically.
This scan checks your baby's heart chambers, valves, and major blood vessels, along with heart rhythm and how blood moves through each part. It's done because something in your history or an earlier scan pointed specifically toward the heart, so your doctor wants a closer, heart-focused look than a routine scan gives.
Your baby's heart is fully formed early in pregnancy, and problems with its structure, called congenital heart defects, are among the more common differences doctors screen for. A routine pregnancy ultrasound already includes a basic look at the heart, checking that it has four chambers and beats in a regular rhythm. FOETAL ECHO goes well beyond that basic look.
Certain situations raise the chance of a heart problem enough that a closer look makes sense: a close relative born with a heart defect, an irregular finding on a routine scan, or a maternal condition such as diabetes, lupus, or certain infections and medications during pregnancy. None of these guarantee a problem. They simply raise the value of a heart-focused scan over a routine one.
A specially trained provider examines each heart chamber, the valves between them, and the major vessels carrying blood to and from the heart, along with the rhythm and pattern of blood flow. This level of detail is what separates FOETAL ECHO from the basic heart check built into a routine anatomy scan.
Not every heart problem can be seen before birth, even with this detailed a look. Some smaller structural issues only become clear after your baby is born, so a normal result here is reassuring but not an absolute guarantee.
A routine scan checks that the heart has four chambers and beats regularly. This scan goes further, examining each chamber, valve, and major vessel closely, along with the pattern of blood flow through the heart.
It's typically done in the second trimester, around 18 to 24 weeks, when the heart is large enough to examine in this level of detail.
Common reasons include a family history of heart defects, an abnormal finding on an earlier scan, or a maternal condition like diabetes or lupus that raises the chance of a fetal heart problem. Your doctor can explain the specific reason for your case.
No. It's an ultrasound test using sound waves, with no radiation exposure to you or your baby.
This page is general information about the test, not medical advice. Your own report's reference ranges apply — please discuss your results with your doctor.
No single scan can guarantee that. Some smaller structural issues aren't visible before birth even with this detailed a look, so a normal result is reassuring but not absolute.
No. It's done the same way as a standard pregnancy ultrasound, with a probe and gel against your abdomen, and carries no discomfort beyond mild pressure.
There's no single preparation that applies to every patient. Ask your doctor or the centre what they'd like you to do beforehand.