Congenital heart disease may initially be suspected during a routine ultrasound scan of the baby in the womb. Specialist ultrasound, called foetal echocardiography, will then be carried out at around 18 to 22 weeks of the pregnancy to try to confirm the exact diagnosis.
Birth defects of heart occur when it doesn’t develop normally during those early weeks of pregnancy. Such defects are usually identified by an obstetrician. During the anatomy or anomaly scan, any irregularity in the baby’s heart rate can be discovered, and any structural abnormalities of the heart would likely be seen.