Fetal Cardiology
The Fetal Cardiology Team specialise in diagnosing
and treating children's heart problems before birth.
Staff
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Dr Gordon Gladman
|
Fetal and Paediatric Cardiologist
|
|
Dr Caroline Jones
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Fetal and Paediatric Cardiologist
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|
Lynn Kirby
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Lead Specialist Midwife
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|
Della Carr
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Specialist Midwife
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Jen Easton
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Specialist Midwife
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Clair Noctor
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Lead Children's Cardiac Specialist Nurse (CSN)
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Both Dr Gladman and Dr Jones are based at Alder Hey
Children's Hospital in Liverpool where all the surgery and
intervention are provided for the North West, North Wales and Isle
of Man region. They diagnose and treat children with a wide range
of heart problems but also specialise in fetal cardiology.
The fetal cardiologists, in conjunction with the
specialist midwives and specialist nurses from Royal Manchester
Children's Hospital, work together to provide support for families
throughout the pregnancy.
Location
Clinics are held in the Fetal Medicine Unit (within
the Ultrasound Department) at Saint Mary's Hospital in
Manchester.
Conditions dealt with
Many congenital heart conditions (CHD) can now be
picked up before birth by performing a detailed scan (fetal
echocardiogram), though some conditions remain difficult to
detect.
You may be referred to the team for an
echocardiogram after your sonographer had suspected a problem on
the routine 20 week scan. We see a wide range of problems
that can develop when the heart is not formed properly early in
pregnancy. Many congenital heart problems can be treated,
usually with surgery to repair the heart and create a normal
circulation. However, there remain a number of complex CHD
where we cannot fix the heart, but only offer surgery to re-direct
the blood and use the heart in a different way. In rare
severe cases there may be no treatment possible.
A proportion of babies diagnosed with CHD may have
an underlying genetic or chromosomal problem or other abnormalities
in other parts of the body. When we see a significant heart
problem we usually recommend a detailed scan with a fetal medicine
specialist to check the rest of the baby and often discuss the
option of an amniocentesis test to look for genetic problems.
For pregnant women at slightly higher risk of
having a baby with CHD, a specialist echocardiogram is also
recommended. For families where the mother, father or a
previous child has a congenital heart condition, this can be a
worrying time. After assessment, we can, in many cases,
reassure the family that the baby's heart is normal. In a
small number of cases a problem with the heart may be detected.
What is offered to patients?
Following a diagnosis of CHD our team will then
explain the diagnosis, further tests that might be recommended or
offered and discuss all options with the family.
Pre-natal diagnosis gives time for the family to
learn more about the heart condition and prepare themselves for the
treatment or surgery that might be required after birth.
Following repeat assessments we can then decide on the best
place to deliver the baby, depending on their heart problem and
whether early treatment may be required in the first hours or days
after the baby is born. This means that we can keep the baby as
safe and well as possible prior to any treatment or surgery they
may require.
We work closely with the cardiac specialist nursing
team at Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, who can arrange to
meet up with families to discuss diagnosis and treatment and
support parents before and after their baby is born. Where early
surgery is required, some families may want to visit the surgical
centre, Alder Hey in Liverpool and meet with the cardiac team.
What else?
Congenital heart care and treatment in the UK is
monitored nationally and this information is collected centrally by
NICOR (National Institute for Cardiovascular Outcomes Research).
They are now beginning to collect information on which heart
conditions are diagnosed before birth; it is hoped that this will
help improve pre-natal diagnosis rates across the country.
The fetal cardiologists provide training across the
North West for sonographers to improve skills as well as
participating in research studies.
How can I access this
service?
Your local obstetrician, midwife, sonographer,
cardiologist or GP can refer you for a specialist fetal
echocardiogram by contacting the specialist midwives at the Fetal
Medicine Unit on (0161) 276 6385.
Further information
About my appointment
Contacting the Fetal Cardiology
Team
Further information and
support
Irregular fetal heart rhythm or ectopic (extra)
beats - leaflet coming soon
