Prenatal diagnosis sets James up for success

I remember it like yesterday. Pregnant with my first child, I went to my 9-week scheduled ultrasound not really knowing what to expect. I heard a little baby’s heartbeat in my belly! I was blown away. When you go for your 18-week ultrasound, make sure your baby’s heart is checked. A simple scan can change everything. ~ Elizabeth At the 18-week scan, it appeared that the baby only had one kidney. The doctor seemed to think that everything else was normal, but he told me I had the option to make an appointment at Boston Children’s Hospital for a fetal echocardiogram. My husband had to work that day, so my mother came with me. I truly was not concerned. Little did I know that my life was about to change forever, and all because of a simple scan that I almost didn’t receive. Video: Learn what to ask at your 18- to 22-week ultrasound to make sure your baby’s heart is healthy. James was diagnosed with tetralogy of Fallot with pulmonary atresia at 18 weeks gestation. My husband and I entered into a scary and heartbreaking world we never imagined. Because of that test, we had time to do research and connect with other families who had already been through the same thing. Because of that test, James was delivered in the best place possible, just down the hall from the Heart Center at Boston Children’s Hospital where he could get the medical attention he desperately needed. Because of that test, James was given the best chance at life. James has sinc...
Source: Thrive, Children's Hospital Boston - Category: Pediatrics Authors: Tags: Diseases & Conditions Our Patients’ Stories Andrew Powell Fetal Cardiology Program Francis Fynn-Thompson Heart Center Pulmonary atresia Tetralogy of Fallot tetralogy of Fallot with pulmonary atresia ultrasound Source Type: news