Pediatric heart care in Dallas

The heart is the first organ to develop. When it doesn't mature as it should, we provide the aid your baby needs.

At Fetal Care Center, we believe that early detection can greatly improve outcomes for heart conditions. With expansions in technology and treatment options, we'll help you and your baby, while always keeping your needs front of mind.

Fetal heart conditions we treat

Our fetal care specialists offer services for a range of cardiovascular needs. Common heart conditions we typically treat include:

  • Atrioventricular canal defect
  • Bradyarrhythmias
  • Cardiomyopathy
  • Coarctation of the aorta
  • Congenital heart defects (CHDs)
  • Double outlet right ventricle
  • Ebstein anomaly
  • Fetal arrhythmias
  • Heterotaxy syndrome
  • Intracardiac tumors
  • Pulmonary stenosis and atresia
  • Tachyarrhythmias
  • Transposition of great arteries
  • Truncus arteriosus

Treatment for congenital heart abnormalities

Our team of specialists strives to remain at the forefront of breakthrough treatments for pediatric heart conditions of all severities. Above all, we work to promote the most positive outcomes, while minimizing risks for both you and your baby.

Diagnosing fetal cardiovascular conditions

Fetal heart complications are fairly common, with congenital cardiac disease occurring often. Many of these anomalies can be detected by ultrasound at between 18 and 22 weeks, and early detection can both greatly improve outcomes and significantly reduce potentially serious complications.

While fetal cardiac conditions are most often diagnosed through ultrasound, other types of technology may be used as well. These noninvasive imaging techniques can include:

  • Echocardiography
  • Fetal electrocardiography (ECG or EKG)
  • Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan
  • Magnetocardiography (MCG)

Treating fetal cardiovascular conditions

The fetal cardiovascular system begins forming shortly after conception, then begins pumping blood by the end of the fifth week. When it doesn't develop as it should, it can lead to numerous cardiovascular abnormalities which require medical intervention.

A baby who is diagnosed with a heart issue either before or at birth can be at greater risk for certain medical conditions later in life. In these situations, it is critical to work with an experienced team specializing in cardiology, cardiac intensive care and cardiovascular surgery.

If a heart abnormality is detected, your fetal cardiology specialist will work with your primary care physician (PCP) to determine an appropriate treatment plan. This may include ongoing fetal stress tests, as well as more frequent appointments with your obstetrician and cardiology team as your delivery date gets closer. They may also prescribe appropriate medications.

Advanced care for CHDs

A heart has valves, arteries and chambers that carry blood throughout the body. When the heart and blood vessels work correctly, blood is pumped through the heart, to the lungs for oxygen, back to the heart and out to the body for delivery of oxygen. If heart structures don’t properly develop before birth, this pattern can be interrupted. This lack of development defines CHD, and it can affect the structure of the heart or the great vessels.

The cause of a CHD is often unknown, but some types of CHDs could be the result of the following:

  • Abnormal number of chromosomes
  • Combination of genes and environmental factors
  • Single gene abnormalities

CHDs can also result if the mother takes certain types of medications during the first few weeks of pregnancy. This is a critical time for the baby’s heart to grow, and certain medications, such as antiseizure medications or lithium, could affect that growth. Prenatal alcohol exposure and maternal obesity are also significant risk factors for CHDs.

Maternal illnesses can also affect the baby’s heart, such as:

  • Connective tissue disorder (Marfan syndrome)
  • Insulin-dependent diabetes
  • Phenylketonuria (PKU) if the mother doesn’t stay on a special PKU diet while pregnant
  • Rubella
  • Systemic lupus erythematosus

Pregnancy from assisted reproductive technology can place a baby at higher risk for a CHD. Family history can also play a role. If a first-degree relative has a CHD, children have about three times greater risk of being born with one as well.

Common types of CHDs

CHDs come in many forms, and our specialized center gives you access to a variety of treatments to help manage them. The most common CHDs we treat include:

  • Aortic valve stenosis (AVS) — When the blood flowing out from the heart is trapped by a poorly working valve, causing pressure to build up inside and damage the heart's interior.
  • Atrial septal defect (ASD) — An ASD allows oxygen-rich blood to leak into oxygen-poor blood chambers in the heart through a hole in the wall (septum) separating the heart’s left and right sides.
  • Hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) — In HLHS, the heart’s left side is underdeveloped, affecting normal blood flow through the heart.
  • Hypoplastic right heart syndrome (HRHS) — In HRHS, the heart's right side underdevelops, affecting the level of oxygen present in the blood stream.
  • Pulmonary valve stenosis (PS) — The pulmonary valve allows blood to flow out of the heart, into the pulmonary artery and to the lungs. PS occurs when a thickened or fused heart valve does not fully open.
  • Single ventricle defects (SVD) — SVDs are rare disorders affecting one lower chamber of the heart that may be smaller, underdeveloped or missing a valve.
  • Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) —This condition has four characteristics:
    • Aorta (blood vessel) overlaying the hole in the lower chambers
    • Extensive thickening of the muscle surrounding the lower right chamber
    • Hole present between the lower chambers of the heart
    • Obstruction from the heart to the lungs
  • Ventricular septal defects (VSDs) — In typical development, the wall between the two lower chambers of the heart closes before the baby is born. When it fails to close completely, it may cause higher pressure in the heart or reduced oxygen to the body.

Treatment for CHDs

Developing a CHD either before birth or in infancy can increase your baby’s risk of experiencing certain medical conditions later in life, including pulmonary hypertension, irregular heartbeat or congestive heart failure (CHF).

More severe conditions generally become evident during the first few months of a child's life, if not sooner. Some babies are born with a blue tone to their skin because of a lack of oxygen-rich blood in the body, or they may have very low blood pressure. Other severe CHDs can make breathing or feeding difficult, as well as leading to poor weight gain.