3 Questions to ask at your ultrasound | Boston Children's Hospital

Ultrasounds. What an exciting time in any expectant parent's life. There are amazing feelings. Maybe a tear or two of joy, and some interesting noises.

Although it’s mostly routine, an ultrasound can sometimes create anxiety. There are a lot of questions. Questions that go beyond... what color should I paint the nursery?

One important part of the ultrasound is to make sure your baby’s heart is normal.

Did you know that at least half of all babies born with a heart condition are not diagnosed during pregnancy? This can seriously impact the health of your child, but knowing ahead of time will allow you find the right people who can help.

To improve prenatal detection of heart problems, here are 3 key questions to ask the person performing your ultrasound.

1. Do you see four chambers in the baby’s heart?

2. Are there two valves controlling flow from the upper chambers into the lower chambers?

3. Are there two valves connecting to blood vessels that exit the heart in a crossing fashion?

Odds are, everything will be okay, but if your ultrasound does show a potential heart defect, ask your obstetrician about a referral to a fetal cardiologist as soon as possible.

Now that you know what to ask, please share this video, you could help save a life.

Download the questions to bring to your ultrasound appointment: