A member asked:

What could cause calcium deposits around an unborn child's heart?

16 doctors weighed in across 3 answers

ECF: Echogenic cardiac focus? This is what it sounds like. Nobody knows what they are. From my reading they seem to have no impact on the child's health once born. I have always suspected that what looks like "calcium" on ultrasound is actually tough fibrous tissue.

Answered 12/23/2017

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Obtain consultation: Bright areas in certain areas of the heart may be reflections of ultrasound waves from valves. The most common finding is the echogenic intracardiac focus noted in 1-4% of fetuses, but not associated with heart abnormalities or other disorders. Rarely, "calcium" may be noted in the fetus, and may represent effects of a viral illness. Confer with your maternal fetal medicine md about this.

Answered 10/23/2017

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Dr. Nikolaos Zacharias answered

Specializes in Maternal-Fetal Medicine

Heart failure: Endocardial fibroelastosis is a hallmark of heart failure in utero and can be associated with calcium deposition on strained cardiac muscle - it is a very serioud finding that merits pediatric cardiology evaluation and frequently leads to poor outcomes. Eif on the other hand is a nothing-oma frequently seen on prenatal sonograms that scares couples without any reason.

Answered 12/23/2017

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