This CME teaching activity provides detailed information on the evaluation of the normal fetal heart both from an anatomic and functional approach. In keeping with progress in this field, detailed information on the use of three-dimensional ultrasound in fetal echocardiography and cardiac imaging in the early gestation is presented. The course also provides a comprehensive evaluation of various cardiac malformations, involving abnormalities of the cardiac chambers and the outflow tracts.

Congenital heart disease is the most common congenital malformation with a significant impact on neonatal morbidity and mortality. Prenatal diagnosis and management of congenital heart disease is a collaborative effort between maternal–fetal medicine specialists and pediatric cardiologists. The renowned course faculty represents the specialties, and all are actively involved in caring for pregnancies complicated with fetal cardiac abnormalities.

This course provides a broad review and dialogue on fetal echocardiography and should be extremely helpful to physicians and sonographers involved in prenatal diagnosis and in caring for children born with congenital heart disease. We hope that you will join us.

Educational Objectives

At the completion of this CME teaching activity, you should be able to:

Discuss indications for fetal echocardiography, review existing guidelines and the approach to patient counseling.

Optimize ultrasound equipment for the use of 2D and Doppler in fetal echocardiography.

Review the normal fetal cardiac anatomy.

Describe the abnormalities of the venous system of the fetal heart.

Discuss in detail anomalies of the cardiac chambers to include septal defects and anomalies of the right and left ventricles.

Review in detail anomalies of the outflow tracts to include transposition of great arteries, tetralogy of Fallot complex, and aortic arch abnormalities.