How common is EIF on ultrasound?

This is commonly referred to as an EIF (echogenic intracardiac focus) or echogenic foci (plural). This is a common finding on ultrasounds, seen in about 3 percent to 5 percent of pregnancies. An EIF does not generally impact the overall health of the baby or the development of his or her heart.

Does EIF mean Down syndrome?

An echogenic intracardial focus (EIF) is an ultrasound „soft marker“ for aneuploidy, most commonly for Down syndrome and trisomy 18. An EIFs are found in about 5% of all fetuses during second trimester sonography.

Is EIF something to worry about?

But echogenic intracardiac focus (EIF) is almost never something to worry about. It shows up as a bright spot on the heart in imaging, and it’s thought to be a microcalcification on the heart muscle. EIF occurs in as many as 5 percent of all pregnancies.

What does it mean when a baby has calcium in the heart?

Echogenic intracardiac focus (EIF) is a small bright spot seen in the baby’s heart on an ultrasound exam. This is thought to represent mineralization, or small deposits of calcium, in the muscle of the heart. EIFs are found in about 3–5% of normal pregnancies and cause no health problems.

Do all babies with EIF have Down syndrome?

The results showed existence of EIF in 3.8% of all fetuses. The prevalence of down syndrome among the population studied was 0.4% with all having EIF. All these cases belonged to mothers younger than 35 years.

Can you tell if your baby has Down syndrome from an ultrasound?

An ultrasound can detect fluid at the back of a fetus’s neck, which sometimes indicates Down syndrome. The ultrasound test is called measurement of nuchal translucency. During the first trimester, this combined method results in more effective or comparable detection rates than methods used during the second trimester.

How many babies with EIF have Down syndrome?

All neonatals with down syndrome were diagnosed with EIF during their prenatal period. The prevalence of fetuses with EIF was calculated to be around 3.8% (95% confidence interval, 0.0278-0.0517).

Can you tell if a baby has Down syndrome in an ultrasound?

Can you tell if baby has Downs at 20 week scan?

Structural abnormalities that may be identified on the 20-week scan The 20-week scan can detect structural defects including spinal defects, cleft lip/palate, significant clubfeet, body wall abnormalities, major urinary abnormalities, and major heart defects, and a variety of subtle markers that may indicate Down …

Why do babies get calcium deposits?

Without enough of this substance, calcium begins to build up (called calcification), which narrows vessels and arteries and restricts blood flow. This hardening of the arteries and vessels often causes newborns with GACI to show clinical signs of hypertension, heart disease, and kidney disease at birth.

What percentage of Down syndrome babies have EIF?

Among affected fetuses, EIF was the single most common isolated marker, observed in 11 (7.1%) of 155 fetuses with Down syndrome. This represented 24% (11 of 42) of affected fetuses with an isolated soft marker.

What is EIF in pregnancy?

What is fetal cardiac ultrasound?

Also known as fetal heart ultrasound or fetal echo, it is used to view your unborn baby s heart, assess fetal heart circulation, flow of blood in the various chambers of heart and fetal heartbeat. Among the various types of ultrasound during pregnancy, the fetal ultrasound done during the first trimester is to confirm the pregnancy and its course.

What is fetal heart sound?

Fetal heart sounds, typically audible by ultrasound or through a fetoscope at 8 to 14 weeks’ gestation, are a good indicator of fetal well-being. In this article, you’ll learn where and how to assess your “other” patient using a Doppler device and how to interpret what you hear.