What causes echogenic intracardiac focus in fetus?

If they are still found on an ultrasound after your baby is born, this is considered normal and will not cause problems for your baby. The cause of an echogenic intracardiac focus is unknown. It is possible that calcium deposits in the muscle wall of the ventricles may cause these spots.

Is echogenic focus common?

It is a relatively frequent occurrence on prenatal ultrasounds. It is usually a small deposit of calcium which has found its way into the region and is fairly common for ultrasounds conducted in the second and third trimester of pregnancy. One in five babies seem to have at least one echogenic intracardiac focus.

How often does EIF mean Down syndrome?

For example, Bromley et al reported a prevalence rate of 4.9% for EIF and 18% for down syndrome with EIF. Although this research has reported and EIF prevalence rate quite close to our results, a high 21 trisomy prevalence rate is reported.

Can Down syndrome be seen at 20 week ultrasound?

A Detailed Anomaly Scan done at 20 weeks can only detect 50% of Down Syndrome cases. First Trimester Screening, using bloods and Nuchal Translucency measurement, done between 10-14 weeks, can detect 94% of cases and Non-invasive Prenatal Testing (NIPT) from 9 weeks can detect 99% of Down Syndrome cases.

What is echogenic cardiac focus?

Echogenic Cardiac Focus. An echogenic cardiac focus (ECF, also known as echogenic chordae) refers to a bright spot seen in the fetal heart by ultrasound.

How serious is an echogenic focus found in heart?

An echogenic intracardiac focus is linked to a suspected cardiac malformation or may lead to a congenital heart defect at birth. However, the most worrisome effect that it may have is that it signals the presence of Down’s syndrome .

What is EIF in pregnancy?

Echogenic intracardiac focus (EIF) is a small bright spot seen in the baby’s heart on an ultrasound exam. This is thought to represent mineralization, or small deposits of calcium, in the muscle of the heart. EIFs are found in about 3–5% of normal pregnancies and cause no health problems. EIFs themselves have no impact on health or heart function.

What is fetal cardiac ultrasound?

Also known as fetal heart ultrasound or fetal echo, it is used to view your unborn baby s heart, assess fetal heart circulation, flow of blood in the various chambers of heart and fetal heartbeat. Among the various types of ultrasound during pregnancy, the fetal ultrasound done during the first trimester is to confirm the pregnancy and its course.