Reliable diagnosis of congenital heart defects and arrhythmias in
utero has been possible since the introduction of fetal
echocardiography. The nation-wide prenatal ultrasound screening
program in the Czech Republic enabled detection of cardiac
abnormities in 1/3 of patients born with any congenital heart
disease and up to 83 % of those with critical forms. Prenatal
frequency of individual heart anomalies significantly differed from
the postnatal frequency. Fetal isolated complete atrioventricular
block and supraventricular tachycardia may lead to heart failure
and are important causes of fetal mortality. The regression of
heart failure was achieved by a conversion to the sinus rhythm in
the supraventricular tachycardia and by increase of ventricular rate
in the complete atrioventricular block.
How patients with heart failure are managed in the Czech Republic