During routine ultrasound examinations during pregnancy, special attention is paid to the baby’s heart. If severe narrowing (stenosis) of the aortic or pulmonary valve of the unborn child is diagnosed, this can result in severe growth disorders and considerable damage to the affected left or right ventricle and the atrioventricular valve filling it.
If the pregnancy continues normally, it is likely that the left ventricle will cease to function before birth, especially in cases of severe aortic valve stenosis. If this is the case, the only option after birth is surgery to enable the right ventricle to maintain circulation for the rest of the patient’s life (known as single-ventricle circulation).
Although it can be assumed that a person can reach adulthood with a single-chamber circulation, a near-normal life expectancy cannot be expected. Under these circumstances, medication must generally be taken for life.
If the prognosis is so unfavorable, we at the DZFT attempt to open the affected heart valve prenatally between the 20th and 30th week of pregnancy. If the disease is not too advanced, normal circulation can be restored in this way. Alternatively, for some children from around the 32nd week of pregnancy, there is the option of premature delivery. After birth, the affected heart valve can be opened if necessary.
After prenatal opening of a fetal heart valve, the latest observations show that the catch-up growth of the affected heart chamber and the associated heart valves and large vessels can be further improved with additional oxygen therapy. If, after prenatal opening of your unborn child’s heart valve—performed at our center or at an external center—no further growth or persistent poor pumping function of the affected heart chamber is observed within the first two weeks, please come in for a follow-up examination and consultation.
If you would like to find out whether our treatment method could have a positive effect on your unborn child’s heart defect, or if you would like to make an appointment for a second opinion, please contact us Monday through Friday between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. at 0175/597-1213 or send us an email. If you only reach our answering machine, please leave your name and a phone number where we can call you back.
Please note: The content of our website is for informational purposes only and is not intended to replace personal consultations with us or other recognized medical specialists in this field. For all individual questions and decisions regarding your health and that of your child, we strongly recommend that you and your family members contact us, your doctor, and/or other experts in person.