Prenatal screening for major fetal heart defects by training sonographers in township hospitals and county health centers: a feasibility study

• Published in: Beijing da xue xue bao. Journal of Peking University. Yi xue ban Vol. 46; no. 3; p. 373
• Main Authors: Zhang, Le, Sun, Mei-ping, Gao, Wei-xian, Hong, Shi-xin, Zhang, Ya-li
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Chinese
• Published: China 18.06.2014
• Subjects: Echocardiography; Feasibility Studies; Female; Fetal Diseases - diagnostic imaging; Fetal Heart - pathology; Fetus; Heart Defects, Congenital - diagnostic imaging; Hospitals; Humans; Pregnancy; Sensitivity and Specificity; Ultrasonography, Prenatal
• ISSN: 1671-167X

To explore the feasibility of screening for major fetal heart disease by training sonographers in township or county level hospitals. Training of B ultrasound scan for congenital heart defects was given to the sonographers from one county hospital, and thirteen township hospitals (or the district hospitals), and training of fetal echocardiography was given to sonographers from four city/county hospitals. The trained sonographers who had passed the examinations and had obtained qualifications after six months of independent practice began to screen fetal congenital heart defects. To evaluate the effectiveness, sensitivity and specificity of screening was calculated by using the diagnosis of expert neonatal/fetal echocardiographers as the gold standard. A total of 3 425 fetuses received one fetal B ultrasound screening, one fetal echocardiography and one neonatal echocardiography from April 1, 2004 to December 31, 2005. One hundred and sixty-five B ultrasound screening images (4.9%) from township hospitals and