Light spot in heart of fetus

[mamajulie54]

My daughter is 20 weeks pregnant and had her first sonagram today.  The baby is a girl, and they detected a light spot in the heart which they said was associated with Downs Syndrome.  But because her protein test was ok, they said to disregard it.  Tell me, how accurate is this and should we be worried.  This is her first baby.  Also, if it means nothing, why tell her?  Thank you for your help.



Jules

[thilini]

A related discussion, About the down syndrome was started.

[Baker24]

A related discussion, Worried Mother 2 Be was started.

[Jellietree]

My wife and I were called into our doctors office today for results of our ultrasound.  We are 20 weeks along and having twin girls.  But one of the babys is a small spot on her heart in the left ventricle. This is our first pregnency and a little worried.  I hope and pray everything turns out all right but I would sure like to hear some more encouraging stories.

My email is ***@****

My wife is 25 and I am 27.

Thank you
Brent

[Jellietree]

My wife and I were called into our doctors office today for results of our ultrasound.  We are 20 weeks along and having twin girls.  But one of the babys is a small spot on her heart in the left ventricle. This is our first pregnency and a little worried.  I hope and pray everything turns out all right but I would sure like to hear some more encouraging stories.

My email is ***@****

My wife is 25 and I am 27.

Thank you
Brent

[Jellietree]

My wife and I were called into our doctors office today for results of our ultrasound.  We are 20 weeks along and having twin girls.  But one of the babys is a small spot on her heart in the left ventricle. This is our first pregnency and a little worried.  I hope and pray everything turns out all right but I would sure like to hear some more encouraging stories.

My email is ***@****

My wife is 25 and I am 27.

Thank you
Brent

[rarmont]

I had the same thing happen when I had a sonogram with my daughter.  They called it an echogenic focus, and they said it was indicative of down's...SOMETIMES.  They did an amniocentesis and it came back normal.  Marissa, my daughter, is now 15 months old and fine (the bright spot has nothing to do with heart problems, so I was told).  I wouldn't worry overmuch.  Good luck!

[worrieduchess]

I have just had my 20 week ultrasound. They tech found a light spot on the baby's heart, she told me that this could be an indication of Down Syndrome, but it could also just be a calcium deposit or muscle flap. We could not get a good picture of his heart so they are sending my to a University hospital to have an high resolution ultrasound done to check and be sure. This makes me feel better cause this way I will know before the baby is born and I will not have to sit and worry until he is born. If it is found he has Down's I can with that now and not have so much thrown at me when he is born. You might want to suggest to your daughter to have a high resolution ultrasound done so that it might ease her worry to. For just like her all my test have came back okay, and I am young.

[Forum-M.D.-DT]

Thank you for visiting the family practice forum.
I agree, if there is nothing to worry about .... why even mention it in the first place?
Down's syndrome has been associated with congenital heart defects such as "transposition of the great vessels" and "trunkus arteriosus". There is also some evidence that it may be associated with delayed closure of the walls between certain chambers of the heart. Possibly this is what they are referring to when they say there is a "white spot" or a "shadow" on the heart. However, I find it a bit perplexing that they would mention it at all if did not appear to be of any significance.
Congenital heart disease is quite rare, but does happen. The indicence is about 5/1000 live births.
The protein test your daughter had is called "Alpha Feto Protein (AFP)" and it used to determine neurologic abnormalities in the unborn baby during pregnancy. The fact that this test was "normal" makes the liklihood of down's syndrome, or any other neurologic abnormality very low.
At this point, I suspect there is nothing else to do other than wait and make sure your daughter takes care of helself, takes her prenatal vitamins, etc.
When the baby is born, make sure you remind the doctor of that "Light Spot" seen on the ultrasound at 20 weeks. If the doctor hears a "heart murmur" when he/she examines the baby in the newborn nursery ... an ultrasound of the heart (echocardiogram) would be in order to rule out any heart abnormality.
Good luck!