Fetal echogenic cardiac foci: prospective postnatal electrocardiographic follow-up

Objective:to determine postnatal electrocardiographic abnormalities in fetuses with echogenic cardiac foci (ecf) and no congenital heart disease (chd).study design:a total of 41 fetuses with ecf and no chd, were prospectively followed after birth with serial echocardiograms, electrocardiogram (ecg) and 24-h ecg (holter). the primary outcome was presence of significant abnormalities in the ecg or holter.result:ecf diagnosed at a mean (s.d.) of 25.6 (4.6) weeks gestation, were located in the ventricles and in the atria in 39 (95.1%), and 2 fetuses (4.9%), respectively. postnatal follow-up was for 8.1 (4.6) months (range 1 to 24). none of the infants had any clinically significant abnormality in the ecg or holter. ecf resolved in 10 infants (24.3%) by 24 months of age. there was no difference between infants with resolved or persistent ecf in various ecg or holter measurements compared.conclusion:fetuses with ecf and no chd have no significant postnatal electrocardiographic abnormalities, irrespective of ecf persistence or resolution.