| ||
| Vol. 23, No. 3 |
| February 15, 2001 |
|
Treating the Tiniest Hearts By ANGELA HUDSON Texas Children's Hospital
What is perinatal cardiology care? Essentially, it is a constellation of diagnosis, intervention and preparation and can impact decisions like where a mother will deliver her baby. Once a fetus with a heart defect has been diagnosed at the Texas Children's Heart Center, a team of highly trained cardiologists begins preparing for the baby's arrival. Expectant mothers usually visit the Heart Center's Echocardiography Lab when an ultrasound indicates a potential heart defect in the unborn child. Ultrasounds are limited because they give only an overall view of the fetus's development. The echocardiograph evaluates the heart in detail: its anatomy, function and the flow of blood. Evaluating the baby's heart in detail before birth allows specialists to prepare for giving the baby the best possible outcome. If the fetus has problems in utero, such as a cardiac dysfunction, cardiologists can begin treating the baby by administering medication to the mother. "It's a matter of making the diagnosis and interpreting it to the family so they understand the implications for the pregnancy," said Dr. Nancy Ayres, medical director of Texas Children's Echocardiography Lab. For example, if the echo shows that the baby's heart has a slow rhythm, cardiac surgeons may recommend a pacemaker implantation soon after birth. Upon the baby's arrival, a mother might be advised to deliver at a hospital near a pediatric specialty hospital, such as Texas Children's Hospital. This speeds the transportation of the baby to a neonatal intensive care unit, where the child can receive necessary and proper neonatal care. Depending upon what Dr. Ayres finds during the fetal stage, she also can determine if a cardiologist or a neonatologist should be present during the delivery. "I am the baby's cardiologist and advocate," Dr. Ayres said. "I use my expertise in pediatric cardiology to help the team devise the best care plan for the mother, baby and family."
©2006 Texas Medical Center E-Mail: tmcinfo@texmedctr.tmc.edu URL: http://www.tmc.edu/tmcnews/02_15_01/page_05.html |
