Fetal Heart Disease in Nagpur When the heart needs a head start
Congenital heart disease is the most common birth defect — and around half of moderate-to-severe cases can be identified before birth. Early prenatal diagnosis transforms outcomes by giving your baby the right team, the right delivery hospital, and the right plan from day one.
What Is Fetal Heart Disease?
Fetal heart disease — most commonly called congenital heart disease (CHD) — refers to structural or functional abnormalities of the heart that develop while your baby is still in the womb. The heart begins to form in the fifth week of pregnancy and is fully structurally developed by week ten. When part of that development goes differently, the result may be a hole between chambers, a narrowed valve, a misconnected great vessel, an abnormal rhythm, or — rarely — a heart with only one functional pumping chamber.
Some heart conditions are minor and may close or self-resolve. Others require careful monitoring through pregnancy and planned surgery soon after birth. A small group are life-threatening if the baby is delivered without preparation — but with prenatal diagnosis and the right neonatal team waiting at delivery, even complex cardiac conditions have measurably better outcomes today than ever before.
Why prenatal detection matters: Babies with serious CHD who are diagnosed before birth have better survival, fewer pre-operative complications, and shorter hospital stays than those diagnosed after birth — because the cardiac surgical team is ready the moment they arrive. Detection before birth changes the journey.
How fetal heart disease is different from heart problems in adults
Adult heart disease is usually about damage that happens over time — blockages, weakened muscle, valve disease from age. Fetal heart disease is about how the heart formed in the first place. The questions are different ("What did not form correctly?" vs. "What got damaged?"), the treatments are different (paediatric cardiac surgery in infancy vs. medication and stents in adults), and the outlook is different — most children with CHD today grow into healthy adults with full lives.
The Major Types of Fetal Heart Disease
Congenital heart disease is not one diagnosis — it is a family of conditions, each with its own implications. Below are the major categories Dr. Kunda Shahane assesses for and discusses with families. The severity badges indicate the typical clinical impact, though every case is individual.
Holes in the walls separating the heart's chambers. Many small defects close on their own; larger ones may need surgical repair in infancy.
Abnormal formation or connection of the great arteries leaving the heart. Most require early surgical intervention; outcomes today are generally very good with prenatal planning.
Conditions affecting blood flow out of the left side of the heart. Some forms are among the most complex CHDs and require staged surgical management; prenatal diagnosis is essential.
Narrowed or absent valves on the right side of the heart, affecting flow to the lungs. Many are treatable with catheter intervention or surgery in the neonatal period.
A small group of complex conditions where only one ventricle is functional. Requires a series of staged surgeries; coordinated planning from before birth is critical.
Abnormalities of fetal heart rhythm — too fast, too slow, or irregular. Some require maternal medication during pregnancy to convert the rhythm; many are benign and self-limiting.
Conditions affecting how the heart muscle pumps rather than how it is structured. May be associated with maternal diabetes, infections, or genetic syndromes.
Abnormal positioning of the heart and other organs in the chest and abdomen. Often associated with complex CHD; requires careful systematic evaluation.
The categories above are a guide, not a substitute for individual evaluation. Each diagnosis is discussed with you in detail — what it specifically means for your baby, what the prognosis is, and what comes next.
How Fetal Heart Disease Is Detected — The Pregnancy Timeline
Detection of fetal heart disease is not a single test — it is a sequence of evaluations across pregnancy, each building on the last. Most CHD is identified at the 18–22 week anomaly scan or at a dedicated fetal echocardiogram around the same time. Some serious conditions can be suspected as early as the 11–14 week NT scan.
Increased nuchal translucency, abnormal ductus venosus flow, and tricuspid regurgitation can raise the suspicion of CHD even in the first trimester — often before structural details are visible. An NT >3.5 mm with normal chromosomes increases the risk of CHD significantly enough to warrant early fetal echo.
Every anomaly scan at Mayflower includes a detailed cardiac evaluation: four-chamber view, outflow tracts, three-vessel view, three-vessel-and-trachea view, and aortic and ductal arches. Any abnormality or suspicion at this stage triggers escalation to dedicated fetal echocardiography.
For families with risk factors or any concern raised on screening, a dedicated fetal echo is performed — a comprehensive cardiac-only examination lasting 45–75 minutes using STIC 4D imaging and fetalHS AI on the GE Voluson Signature Expert. This is where the precise diagnosis is established.
If a heart condition is identified, follow-up scans monitor for progression. Some conditions evolve through pregnancy — what looks moderate at 22 weeks may become more or less significant by 32 weeks. Parallel coordination with paediatric cardiology and the planned delivery hospital is established during this period.
A normal anomaly scan substantially reduces but does not eliminate the risk of CHD. Some conditions — particularly subtle ones, late-developing changes, or conditions in technically difficult scans — may only become apparent later in pregnancy or after birth. Honest communication about the limits of screening is part of every report.
Who Should Have a Dedicated Fetal Echocardiogram?
A dedicated fetal echocardiogram is recommended when there is an increased risk of CHD — beyond what the routine anomaly scan addresses. The most common indications are listed below. If any apply to you, this examination is worth doing even if your routine scans have been normal.
If none of the above apply but you simply want the reassurance of a thorough cardiac evaluation, you can request a fetal echo — many parents choose it for that reason alone.
Cardiac Imaging on the GE Voluson Signature Expert
Mayflower's flagship machine is the GE Voluson Signature Expert — India's most advanced AI-enabled fetal ultrasound system. For cardiac evaluation specifically, two technologies on this machine make a measurable difference.
What Happens After a Heart Defect Is Diagnosed
Hearing that your baby has a heart condition is one of the most difficult moments a parent can face. At Mayflower, our role from that point onward is to walk with you — to make sure the diagnosis is precise, the prognosis is honestly explained, and every link in the chain of care is in place before your baby arrives.
Detailed Counselling
A dedicated session with Dr. Kunda Shahane to explain exactly what has been found, what it means for your baby, what to expect in the rest of pregnancy, and what the realistic outlook is — without minimising and without alarming.
Paediatric Cardiology Referral
Coordination with a paediatric cardiologist who will take over your baby's care after birth. This referral typically happens within days of diagnosis so the family meets the postnatal team before delivery.
Delivery Hospital Planning
For conditions that will need cardiac surgery soon after birth, delivery is planned at a hospital with paediatric cardiac surgical facilities — so the baby never needs emergency transfer in the critical first hours of life.
Continued Surveillance
Follow-up scans through the rest of pregnancy to monitor for progression, growth, and any associated findings. Some cardiac conditions evolve significantly through pregnancy and we want to know exactly what we are dealing with at delivery.
Genetic Evaluation if Indicated
Some CHDs are associated with chromosomal or genetic conditions. When relevant, we discuss the option of amniocentesis or microarray testing to look for associated genetic causes that may inform postnatal care.
Family Support
We connect families with support groups, parent networks, and counsellors as needed. You are not the first family to walk this path — and you do not walk it alone.
The handoff from prenatal care to postnatal cardiac care should feel seamless. By the time your baby arrives, the paediatric cardiologist already knows the diagnosis, the surgical team is briefed, and the delivery hospital is prepared. That coordination is what prenatal diagnosis exists for.
Understanding the Prognosis Spectrum — Honest Framing
Not every "fetal heart condition" is a crisis. The phrase covers a huge range — from findings that need no treatment at all to conditions requiring complex staged surgery. The most important thing after diagnosis is understanding which end of the spectrum your baby's condition sits on, and the honest realistic outlook for it.
Small VSDs, isolated minor findings, transient arrhythmias. Many close or normalise without any intervention. Often no special delivery arrangements needed. Excellent long-term outlook.
Conditions requiring surgical or catheter intervention in infancy. Includes tetralogy of Fallot, large VSD/AVSD, coarctation, transposition of the great arteries. Today's surgical outcomes are very good with prenatal planning.
Single-ventricle conditions, complex multi-defect heart disease. Requires staged surgeries over years and specialised lifelong follow-up. Outcomes have transformed in the last two decades but the path is more demanding.
Where your baby's condition sits — and what that means for delivery planning, surgery, and life after — is exactly what the detailed counselling session with Dr. Kunda Shahane is for. The diagnosis is the start of the conversation, not the end.
Watch: Fetal Echocardiography Explained by Dr. Kunda Shahane
In this video, Dr. Kunda Shahane explains when and why fetal echocardiography is performed — the cornerstone of fetal heart disease diagnosis.
Dr. Kunda Shahane — Mayflower Fetal Medicine Centre, Nagpur
Frequently Asked Questions
Can fetal heart disease be detected before birth?
Yes. Approximately half of all moderate-to-severe congenital heart defects can be detected before birth through fetal echocardiography. At Mayflower, the cardiac evaluation begins at the 11–14 week NT scan, continues at the 18–22 week anomaly scan, and is confirmed in detail with a dedicated fetal echocardiogram between 18 and 24 weeks. Detection rates depend on the type of defect, image quality, and gestational age — some conditions are easier to identify than others.
When should a dedicated fetal echocardiogram be done?
A dedicated fetal echocardiogram is ideally performed between 18 and 24 weeks of pregnancy. It is recommended when there is an increased risk of CHD — family history, maternal diabetes, certain medications, previous child with CHD, increased NT measurement, suspected abnormality on the anomaly scan, IVF pregnancy, or extracardiac fetal anomalies.
What is the prognosis if my baby is diagnosed with a heart defect?
Prognosis varies widely — from simple defects that may close on their own to complex conditions requiring surgery soon after birth. Many infants with congenital heart disease today live full lives with timely intervention. Dr. Kunda Shahane explains the specific defect, its expected severity, and the realistic outlook in detail. She also coordinates referral to a paediatric cardiologist and a cardiac surgical centre for delivery planning when needed.
What happens after a fetal heart defect is diagnosed at Mayflower?
After diagnosis, the care pathway includes: a detailed counselling session explaining the defect and prognosis, referral to a paediatric cardiologist for postnatal planning, coordination with a cardiac surgical centre if the baby will need surgery after birth, decisions about delivery hospital and timing, and continued surveillance scans through pregnancy. Mayflower stays involved as your fetal medicine partner throughout.
Can fetal heart disease be treated before birth?
For most types of congenital heart disease, treatment happens after birth — either as medication, catheter intervention, or surgery. A small number of conditions can benefit from in-utero treatment, such as fetal arrhythmias treated with maternal medication. Mayflower's primary role is accurate prenatal diagnosis, severity assessment, and coordinating the right team to be ready the moment your baby is born.
Why is prenatal diagnosis of fetal heart disease important?
Prenatal diagnosis transforms outcomes. It allows the family to be psychologically and practically prepared, ensures the baby is delivered at a hospital with paediatric cardiac surgery facilities, avoids the dangerous emergency of an unsuspected duct-dependent condition collapsing at home, and gives the cardiac surgical team time to plan. Babies with prenatally-diagnosed serious CHD have measurably better surgical outcomes than those diagnosed after birth.
Is Mayflower equipped to diagnose complex cardiac conditions?
Yes. Dr. Kunda Shahane is Central India's first dedicated fetal medicine specialist and is trained in advanced fetal cardiac evaluation including STIC (4D heart volume imaging) and fetalHS AI on the GE Voluson Signature Expert. She has personally evaluated over 20,000 fetuses and routinely diagnoses conditions ranging from simple septal defects to complex single-ventricle physiology. For surgical management, families are referred to established paediatric cardiac centres.
What is a paediatric cardiology referral and when is it needed?
A paediatric cardiologist is a specialist who manages heart disease in infants and children. When fetal heart disease is identified, Dr. Kunda Shahane coordinates with paediatric cardiologists to plan the postnatal care — what medications the baby may need at birth, whether catheter intervention or surgery will be required, when it will be performed, and at which hospital. This referral typically happens within days of diagnosis.
How common is congenital heart disease?
Congenital heart disease affects between 8 and 10 of every 1,000 live births — making it the single most common type of birth defect. About a quarter of these are considered critical and need intervention in the first year of life. The remainder are milder and may need observation, late surgery, or no treatment at all.
Of every diagnosis I deliver, the heart is the one I treat with the most caution and the most hope. Caution — because no other organ system has such a wide spectrum, from "this will close on its own" to "this baby needs to be delivered at a cardiac centre." Hope — because the field has changed beyond recognition. The babies I diagnosed twenty years ago and the babies I diagnose today walk into utterly different futures. What has not changed is that detection before birth gives every one of them a measurably better start. That is the single most important thing we do here.Dr. Kunda Shahane MBBS, MS (Obs & Gynae), FIFM, FMF London
Central India's first fetal medicine specialist · Director, Indian Institute of Fetal Medicine (IIFM)
Related Services
If you are exploring fetal heart disease, these closely related pages will help you understand the full picture.
Book a Fetal Heart Evaluation
Whether you have been referred with a concern, fall into a higher-risk group, or simply want the reassurance of a detailed cardiac evaluation — Dr. Kunda Shahane and the Mayflower team are here.
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