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Ultrasound: Key to Saving Babies with Heart Defects
15 Feb
Summary
- Routine ultrasound screening can detect congenital heart disease early.
- Early diagnosis and prompt treatment significantly increase survival rates.
- Nurses received specialized training for early detection and care.
Health experts are stressing the vital role of timely detection for congenital heart disease, particularly through regular ultrasound screenings of pregnant women. They highlighted that early diagnosis is instrumental in saving young lives. Addressing a seminar on the topic, Dr. Rajeev Ranjan Prasad, director of Mahavir Vatsalya Hospital, advised all pregnant women to undergo a level-2 ultrasound.
This screening helps identify potential fetal heart abnormalities, allowing for early treatment planning and safer delivery management. A global child heart disease awareness program is observed annually from February 7 to February 14. Experts estimate that congenital heart disease affects approximately 2% of the population, making early screening a public health priority.
Dr. Prabhat Kumar, head of pediatric echocardiography, outlined critical warning signs like bluish discoloration, repeated respiratory infections, breathlessness, restlessness, or rapid heartbeat, urging immediate heart screening if these are observed. To bolster these efforts, Mahavir Vatsalya Hospital provided specialized training to 50 nurses on early detection and care.
