Impact of a regional training program in fetal echocardiography for sonographers on the antenatal detection of major congenital heart disease.
Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol
; 36(3): 279-84, 2010 Sep.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-20205153
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES:
The aims of this study were to ascertain the effect of a regional training program in fetal echocardiography for obstetric radiographers on the antenatal detection of major congenital heart disease (CHD) and to document short-term outcomes for major CHD.METHODS:
All 87 obstetric radiographers in Northern Ireland were invited to attend 2.5 days of training during a 1-year period. Data were collected before and after the training, over a 5-year study period, to assess the effect of training on the antenatal detection of CHD in the population.RESULTS:
The antenatal detection of major CHD rose significantly, from 28% (72/262) pretraining to 43% (36/84) in the year of training (P = 0.008). Antenatal diagnosis of four-chamber-view defects rose significantly (from 38% to 54%; P = 0.04), as did detection of outflow-tract-view defects (from 8% to 21%; P = 0.05). Twelve per cent (13/108) of cases died spontaneously in utero and 8% (9/108) were terminated. Only 78% (67/86) of live-born cases in which CHD had been diagnosed antenatally survived the neonatal period, compared to 93% (221/238) with a postnatal diagnosis of CHD (P < 0.001).CONCLUSIONS:
Even with a relatively simple training program, significant improvements can be made in the antenatal detection of CHD. With training, obstetric sonographers can successfully assess outflow tracts. Antenatally diagnosed cases have more complex CHD and this probably contributes to poor neonatal survival.
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Echocardiography
/
Ultrasonography, Prenatal
/
Clinical Competence
/
Education, Medical, Continuing
/
Fetal Heart
/
Heart Defects, Congenital
Type of study:
Diagnostic_studies
Limits:
Female
/
Humans
/
Pregnancy
Country/Region as subject:
Europa
Language:
En
Journal:
Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol
Journal subject:
DIAGNOSTICO POR IMAGEM
/
GINECOLOGIA
/
OBSTETRICIA
Year:
2010
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Reino Unido