Parental Reactions to Fetal Echocardiography

Abstract

The impact of fetal echocardiography (FE) was studied in 65 families where a previous child had been born with heart disease and where FE showed normal cardiac anatomy in the fetus. Forty-six of the families had lost their child with heart disease (Group 1), while the child was alive in 19 of the families (Group 2). A questionnaire concerning the attitude of the parents toward FE was sent to all families. The possibility of having FE had influenced the decision to have another child in 64% in Group 1 and in 26% in Group 2 (P < 0.01). If a serious cardiac malformation had been found at FE, 69% in Group 1 and 29% in Group 2 would have chosen abortion (P < 0.01). The anxiety decreased significantly in both groups after FE. Of the participating mothers, 96% wished FE at the next pregnancy. The study indicates that FE probably is very important to families who had previously had a child with a serious malformation but also that many families intend to continue the pregnancy even if a malformation is diagnosed.

Key Words:

• fetal
• echocardiography
• prenatal diagnosis
• emotional reactions