Diagnosis and outcome of dextrocardia diagnosed in the fetus

A retrospective review of 5,539 fetal echocardiograms over a 22-year period revealed 85 cases of dextrocardia. In primary dextrocardia (46 cases), the incidence of situs solitus, inversus, and ambiguous, was similar and associated with a high incidence of complex cardiac malformations in situs solitus and situs ambiguous. Secondary dextrocardia (39 cases) was due to intrathoracic displacement and, when caused by diaphragmatic hernia, was associated with cardiac malformations in 31% of cases. Even in complex cases, fetal echocardiography was highly accurate; therefore, specific counseling can be given to parents.