Listening to their hearts

In honor of International Children's Day to be marked on November 20, 2016, Hillel Yaffe Medical Center is delighted to announce that it has recently opened a clinic to perform fetal echocardiography, which is an ultrasound of the fetus' heart. It is an external exam, performed on women in the second trimester of their pregnancy, if the gynecologist monitoring their pregnancy requests it in accordance with the criteria defined by the Ministry of Health.

The director of the clinic is Dr. Iyas Kassem, Deputy Director of the Pediatrics Department at Hillel Yaffe and a pediatric cardiology specialist. Dr. Kassem is highly experienced in performing this special exam. During the test, the structure of the heart, the blood vessels that enter and exit, blood flow to and from the heart, heart function and rate are all examined in depth. It enables identification of fetal cardiological problems, so that they can be treated at an early stage in the pregnancy or after birth. This way, if a problem is discovered babies with any heart defects have better odds of survival. Criteria for performance of the exam include a maternal medical issue, a heart defect in the mother or first-degree relative, or fetal problems discovered in scans during pregnancy. The consultation and findings provided by the physician, as already mentioned, support the decisions on what needs to be done as the pregnancy progresses.

The new clinic is open on Thursdays, from 3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. A medical referral and HMO financial commitment form are required. To schedule an appointment, contact the appointment call center at 04-6308417 or the Pediatrics Department secretary at 04-6304431.