Worrying 20 week scan

[FrozenNorthPole]

I had my 20 week scan this morning, and I'm around 19 weeks now. Everything looked fine and I thought I'd be in and out until the midwife sonographer said "now, I don't want you to get worried but there is a small amount of fluid around the baby's heart"
Who the heck truly believes you can say that to a pregnant woman and expect her not to worry?
Anyhow, she said the fluid is sometimes caused by an infection the mum has had during pregnancy (like parvovirus or CMV) or by rhesus negative status (not applicable to me). From my reading it can also, usually in combination with other signs, indicate a heart defect or chromosomal abnormality.
The midswife said that it was probably nothing, but that she'd like the consultant to check it in the next couple of weeks. She also remarked that it might have been seen because I'm "very easy to scan". I have NO idea what that means.

Has anyone experienced similar? She basically wouldn't tell me anything about what it might mean, and she didn't say how deep the fluid is. My DH is a GP so he rang my consultant to ask about it but consultant wasn't there (never is ... we've been trying to ask him an unrelated question for the last 4 weeks ). I will be scanned by my own consultant on Monday, assuming he remembers to turn up, so hope to know more then but I've been led to expect this might not be conclusive either.

Even if you haven't been through similar, anyone willing to metaphorically give my hand a squeeze would be appreciated

Thanks for the hugs :-)
I`m feeling incredibly positive about things after the scan - it looks like a bile duct cyst not a blockage as its not getting any worse at the moment so best case senario is tests as soon as he is born then referral for surgery but the actual surgery may be able to wait till he is a few months old.
Hope your scan today is a good one. One benefit of getting closely monitered is getting to see your baby develop on the scans and knowing that everything else is ok.

Potas, this is good news, I bet you are relieved, enjoy the rest of the pg

Frozen, how was the scan yesterday ? and BTW thanks for the explanation, I can now fully measure your distress, but hopefully it will not be bad.

Potas - I agree it's good to see baby develop and have confirmation that all else is fine. Very glad that you've got an answer now and have a clearer idea of what to expect. Sometimes uncertainty can be the worst thing. Also v glad that you're feeling positive about it - it really takes a lot of the excitement away from the pregnancy when something worrying comes up.

Hpbp - Scan was actually quite reassuring, although the fluid was still there. The consultant managed to get some measurements of it (it looks to have a greater volume from some angles and less from others) which is great because they will check me next week and see if the volume is changing.

He couldn't find any explanation for the fluid's presence: the heart structure seems normal and the baby is not anemic - I had no idea that you could check anemia using a scan! They look at the speed of blood flow through an artery in the head (I think called the MCA) and if it's flowing too fast, there is anemia.
At the check next week, if the fluid has increased significantly then they will start looking more deeply for a cause e.g. for chromosomal abnormalities via amnio. I really hope we don't have to go down that route and am comforted by the thought that there weren't any soft markers seen at the scans, and my NT screening risk was very low.
If the fluid has stayed the same or decreased then I think they may discharge me back to usual care although I think I will press for a couple more follow-up scans for peace of mind.
The consultant emphasised that the fluid was slight enough to be easily missed and said that if he was in our position, he would not be worried at this point. So I'm holding tight to that information every time the 'what ifs' come to mind.

Frozen, v happy that you had resaauring news. The wait is a killer but try not to worry as the consultant said and one week is not too long (easier to say, I know). I am sure the baby is fine.

that sounds really positive, frozen. everything crossed that the news continues to be good.xxxxx

Hi frozen

I have just had a scan with exactly the same results as you. Have another one with the consultant this week and am really worried- especially as I have been in contact with someone with slapped cheek virus. It is just all the unknowns and the waiting and the ill advised google searches! Your research and comments have been very helpful though so I feel a bit better- thanks! Hope your next scan goes well and that the 'what ifs' are kept at bay!

Waves at Hpbp and Scummy (feels very rude to call you that ). I've been in hibernation mode waiting for tomorrow's scan. DH is away on exercise so I'm going along with a friend from work tomorrow. It's at 3.30 - so I've set myself lots of work to do tomorrow morning and then we'll have lunch and walk across to the other hospital building for the scan. Eeek!

Travelbug - I'm sorry that you're going through this stress as well. Have you had your next scan yet? Fingers crossed that we both have uneventful, boring outcomes to this worrying time .... Did they pick it up at your 20 week scan as well? x

A very quick but positive update (please excuse cross-posting): I was scanned again by my consultant and a cardiologist this afternoon and the fluid in the pericardium hasn't increased - and may possibly have decreased a little. They declared it to be the high end of normal, and have advised scanning in a few more weeks for growth etc. which - with my pregnancy history - was going to happen anyhow. So, PHEW and I might try to relax a little.

I still haven't got my TORCH panel (blood tests for viruses) back so that will be another step, but I can say cautiously 'so far, so good'. I went to the loo and cried after the scan (was there on my own, so held it together in front of the doctors) - in relief, but also with the knowledge that this is going to remain a worry for me until some uneventful (hopefully) weeks have passed by with no further problems.

Sounds like great news, frozen.:) So pleased. I wish you could just be given the ultimate all clear so that you could relax 100% but I guess life isn't like that always, unfortunately, and everything is pointing to things being absolutely fine. When will you get the torch results?

Hi Frozen

I'm really glad to hear things are looking positive and that the fluid is decreasing. Uneventful and boring outcomes sound very good to me! I had a scan this week and there is still some fluid round the heart- although everything else is fine. I got my blood test results back- it looks like I've been infected with parvovirus although they wanted to test me further to rule out other things so they performed an amnio test. Was meant to get some important results back today from it but my sample was contaminated with my own DNA so I have to wait two more weeks now! The waiting and the worrying are the worst bits. However, the baby is fine at the minute and they are not overly anxious but it will be nice to get some definite answers. I have another scan next week so will hopefully hear more then.
I hope you have a relaxing weekend-it sounds like things are going well which is really good! Do you have another scan next week?

Ugh Travelbug, waiting two weeks is horrible! I agree that simply having to sit there and wait, and not know things for definite, is the worst thing. When is your scan this week? I don't have any more scans until 28 weeks now, although I think we might book a private one at 24 weeks for peace of mind.
I forgot to mention that the cardiologist said that the fluid is just more visible on some people, and he actually mentioned one of the epidemiological studies that I linked to several posts ago. So that was reassuring, and hopefully will reassure you too. The sonographer also said that for a baby that was suffering from an infection, they would usually expect the fluid collection to begin somewhere other than the heart and progress quite fast - so the knowledge that there doesn't seem to be fluid elsewhere should reassure us both.
Hang in there - hope that this week's scan goes well xxx

Hi frozen

they've monitored her for the past few weeks now and she is now out of the danger zone which is great and the fluid is decreasing. all the tests came back negative for everything else except for parvovirus- so it seems definite as to what it was but she is getting over it successfully so far (fingers crossed!) Have a couple more scans up til the 30 week mark but I feel much more positive. It just seemed to put everything on hold so it's nice now to be looking forward to things.
How is everything with you? Did you go for the 24 week scan? when is your due date? x x

I lnow this post is a few years old but I was curious about the out come. My 24 weel scan showed a thin layer of fluid around the heart and I know have to wait till April 9th for the level 2 scan. I'm so worried, it's like my life has been put on hold.

I suggest you start your own thread, k. I hope everything works out okay for your baby and you.

I was told there was fluid around my baby's heart when I was 12 weeks and was sent to a specialist. The fetal dr told me there was a large amount of fluid around the heart and was causing the baby's lungs not to develop and it could be caused by a chromosome abnormality. I am currently 14 weeks pg, but the baby is now measuring at 16 weeks. The dr told me if I went full term the baby had no chance at surviving and I should consider terminating the pregnancy. Has anyone gone through this? Is there any hope that anything will change or should I highly consider my options? Please respond asap.

@potas I know this is a zombie thread but I'm just hoping you may see this and answer. How was your baby? Did they have surgery? I have been told my baby has a cyst too and we are now waiting for the consultant app to find out exactly where it's coming from. Been waiting 6 weeks - incredibly worrying and stressful :(