Learning Objectives

• Narrate the fetal cardiac embryogenesis and anatomy, relating abnormal cardiac embryogenesis with the development of cardiac pathology
• Cite the various indications for a fetal cardiac evaluation, illustrate the yield of fetal echocardiography and discuss the impact of antenatal diagnosis of cardiac disease in infant survival
• Teach a comprehensive, segmental approach in fetal cardiac echocardiographic imaging through both didactics and live case demonstrations with pregnant volunteers
• Discuss the techniques of evaluating the fetal cardiac function and determine the utility of the cardiovascular profile
• Describe the echocardiographic and clinical manifestations of various specific simple and complex fetal cardiac anomalies, relate them to their natural and unnatural history, and present expectations in disease severity at the course of pregnancy and at birth – incorporate in discussion the anomalies of systemic and pulmonary venous connections, atrial and ventricular septation, endocardial cushion, ventricular inlet, chamber and outlet development, conotruncus, great arteries, cardiac position, ductus arteriosus, myocardial disease, aneurysms and diverticula, and pericardial effusion
• Discuss the ultrasonographic features of various fetal cardiac tumors and extracardiac thoracic and extrathoracic masses that affect the fetal heart; and discuss their natural history and plan for any fetal or postnatal management
• Determine the maternal and placental conditions affecting the fetal cardiovascular system
• Describe the utility of new technologies including first trimester fetal cardiac echocardiography and 3D and 4D echocardiography
• Describe the technique of fetal echocardiographic imaging in multiple gestational pregnancy
• Enumerate new information on fetal cardiac genetics and teratology
• Promote new information in diagnosis and treatment of fetal arrhythmias – including non-invasive rhythm evaluation, diagnosis and treatment of fetal bradycardia, fetal long QT, heart block, ectopies and tachycardias
• Discuss history, current status and future of fetal cardiac intervention
• Promote criteria and discuss the basis as to whether to deliver a fetus with heart defect vaginally or by caesarian section
• Determine the cardiovascular issues associated with multiple gestations and in-vitro fertilization
• Recognize the hemodynamic implications of twin-reversed arterial perfusion and twin-to-twin perfusion syndromes – demonstrate the intervention for these conditions
• Disseminate information through “quiz-show-like” methodology which should be of interest to the entire audience and not just the “contestants,” through didactics that deliver “pearls” on the field of fetal cardiology and fetal echocardiography and through a faculty panel that will answer questions or describe more information
• Relate ways of helping the mother and family cope with the diagnosis of a heart defect in their unborn baby
• Describe unique management postnatal effort for the neonate with antenatally diagnosed serious heart defect including antenatally-listed cardiac transplantation and neonatal catheter intervention
• Introduce the utility of telemedicine as a tool in delivering fetal echocardiographic service to remote areas
• Enumerate the various information and advances in technology that could potentially be available for the fetal cardiologist in the future