A heart diagnosis during pregnancy

If a pregnancy scan shows a possible heart difference, you will usually be offered a specialist heart scan. You will meet teams who care for babies during pregnancy and specialise in the heart. The team will explain what they can see, what remains uncertain and whether more scans or genetic tests could help.

Genetic tests look for changes in the instructions that guide a baby’s growth and development. A diagnosis does not mean you have done something wrong. Often, we do not fully know why a baby’s heart developed differently.

Some conditions need little treatment; others need complex care and repeated procedures. Ask about the range of possible outcomes for your baby, including complications, everyday life and uncertainty. A label alone cannot predict their future. Your team should discuss continuing the pregnancy and ending the pregnancy sensitively, without pressure.

Where this is an option, ask about care that focuses on keeping your baby comfortable, and what support is available. You can ask for another discussion or opinion when decisions feel difficult.

You do not have to learn everything in one sitting. Consider bringing a trusted person, requesting an interpreter and asking for a written explanation or drawing. Tiny Tickers has pregnancy support resources. Write down the next appointment, the person you can contact and the questions that matter most to your family. Ask which decisions need to be made soon and which can wait.