RESUMO
Over the years, Fetal Cardiology have been incorporated into the daily practice of Pediatric Cardiology. What was once restricted to a few fetal heart researchers, has slowly been incorporated into health institutions that deal with congenital heart diseases (CHD). Fetal echocardiography has generated extensive knowledge of the natural and modified history of heart diseases in utero, and normal fetal heart physiology and anatomy. The benefits of fetal diagnosis have become unquestionable over the years. Pioneers in the area succeeded in demystifying the fetal heart examination and proving the importance of screening for cardiac abnormalities during obstetric examinations. Prenatal detection rates have increased, and interest in fetal echocardiography is, thus, no longer merely a diagnostic tool; it has gone on to become a tool of the utmost importance in assisting medical and, progressively, interventional treatment of specific anomalies that occur in fetal life. A vast body of literature currently supports the practice of Fetal Cardiology. In addition to diagnosis, anatomical and functional particularities may be identified in utero, with implications on the delivery planning and pre and postnatal management. Prenatal diagnosis has certainly led to increase the number of babies with complex heart diseases in Pediatric Cardiology hospital beds. Prior to this, children with complex heart diseases did not survive the immediate neonatal period and died in neonatal intensive care units without being diagnosed. Nowadays, these children require increasingly careful and specific management involving Pediatric Cardiology and thus modifying the practice of Neonatal Cardiology. Despite the vast literature pertinent to Fetal Cardiology, due to the restricted number of cases, there is a lack of studies with large populations and randomization processes, being the information based on observational studies and description of small samples or cases reports. However, the accumulated knowledge is already enough to develop scientific statements or guidelines. In April 2014, the American Heart Association (AHA) published the first scientific statement for Fetal Cardiology, encompassing all the practical aspects involved in this area, including screening, diagnosis, medical or interventional therapy, counseling, delivery planning, and neonatal treatment. Considering this extremely thorough and highly useful document, we have accepted the challenge of bringing together professionals dedicated to Fetal Cardiology from different regions of Brazil in order to jointly establish guidelines which are adapted to our reality and which also take into consideration knowledge created in Brazil. We believe that the information brought together in this document will be of great use to professionals who face the challenge of dealing with possible abnormalities that affect the fetal heart in their daily practice. (AU)
