Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the referral patterns for fetal echocardiography at a tertiary care center in Shiraz, South Iran. METHOD: This retrospective cohort study analyzed data from 22,600 pregnant women who underwent fetal echocardiography between January 1, 2016, and December 31, 2021. Information was extracted from a centralized electronic medical record system used by medical centers affiliated with Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. RESULT: Congenital heart disease was detected in 14.5% of fetal echocardiograms. The mean gestational age at the time of examination was 21.8 ± 4.2 weeks (range: 13-40 weeks). Notably, 75.9% of pregnant women were referred after 19 weeks of gestation. The most common reason for referral was abnormal fetal laboratory screening (triple or quad test). CONCLUSION: In our center, fetal echocardiography is optimally performed by 19 weeks of gestation. This timing allows for detailed anatomical assessment and aligns with the legal threshold for abortion, ensuring timely counseling and decision-making when necessary. However, in our study, the mean gestational age at the time of echocardiography was 21 weeks, indicating that a significant proportion of patients underwent the procedure later than the optimal timing.