Fetal heart scan

At a glance

A fetal heart scan is a detailed ultrasound examination of your baby’s heart.

• No GP referral required
• Baby heart checks available 7 weeks before NHS
• Appointments available at short notice
• Convenient central London location
• Procedure performed by a fetal medicine specialist or a fetal cardiologist

You will receive

• Results on the day or within 2 working days of your appointment
• Two-page clinical report

What happens with your results?
We can send your results directly to your midwife or consultant or send you a copy to present to your clinical carer.

What is it?

A fetal heart scan is an ultrasound examination of your baby’s heart; it is sometimes called an echocardiogram.

The scan is usually performed by a consultant fetal medicine specialist or by a fetal cardiologist, also known as an echocardiologist.

Why would I need a fetal heart scan?

You may have been referred for a fetal heart scan if during your nuchal scan your baby’s nuchal measurement was more than 2.5mm. Your consultant, midwife or sonographer may also advise you to have a fetal heart scan for the following reasons:

• You have a family history of congenital heart problems
• A previous child was born with heart disease
• An irregularity in your baby’s heart has been detected
• You have diabetes

Depending on your individual case, you may need more than one fetal heart scan. If it’s performed early in your pregnancy to exclude any major heart deformities, it may have to be repeated later in your pregnancy when the fetal heart is more developed.

Who performs the scan?

Our fetal heart scans are performed by Dr John Simpson, a fetal cardiologist.

What happens during the fetal heart scan?

During a fetal heart scan the consultant will:

• Discuss your case history
• Review your previous scan reports
• Perform a detailed scan of your baby’s heart

You will receive a letter from the consultant within 48 hours of your appointment.

If your baby is diagnosed with a fetal-cardio abnormality we will forward your medical scan report to your midwife or consultant.

If you do not have a consultant you may be offered additional maternity care with our fetal cardiologist, Dr John Simpson, at the Fetal and Paediatric Congenital Heart Disease Unit at Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital.

Fetal heart scans at our private clinic

At the London Ultrasound Centre, we check your baby’s heart in every scan that we do. This allows for any concerns to be diagnosed early so that you can receive the very best in early fetal-cardio care.

We perform fetal heart scans from 13 weeks of pregnancy, offering you reassurance at an early stage. The NHS won’t usually check your baby’s heart until the 20-week anomaly scan.