ECG at 20 Weeks

[LittlePeanut]

Hi I am just wondering what this entails, I am due to go for an ECG at the end of August and wondered what exactly happens. Is it like an ultrasound? do I get to see the baby on a screen? tried looking this up online but it just comes up with standard non pregnancy ECG's.

 

[allisonb]

Hi there. I presume you're having foetal ECG? I've got four children, and have had ECGs with the last three as the first one was born with a rare heart defect. Yes, you will see the baby and it's very similar to a normal scan the only difference is that they obviously concentrate on the heart (which at my last one I was told was about the size of half a walnut). It's difficult for the person doing to scan to see what they need to see if the baby is in the wrong position so some walking around so that baby moves might be needed too! Hope it goes well. Is there a family history of heart conditions?

 

[rachelha]

Hello

A detailed heart scan is standard for diabetic mums to be, it is just like a normal scan, but as Allison send, concentrates on the heart. You will get to see your baby, but I could not make out much of what they were actually looking at.

 

[LittlePeanut]

Thank you for replying - yes its a Foetal ECG for the baby as they do this for all diabetic mums now due to higher risk of heart defects to the baby. I was just wondering if they just do the thing with a print out of loads of erratic lines on a piece of paper like on the TV lol bonus I get to see the baby then 🙂