The purpose of the research study “Heart Sounds at Home” is for pregnant SSA positive mothers using a home Doppler fetal heart rate monitor, to detect abnormal heart rates and rhythms in their babies before they are born.
The main procedures involved are: 1. Using the hand-held Doppler monitor to listen to your baby’s heart rate and rhythm twice daily from about 17-about 26 weeks of pregnancy.2. Call the primary investigator if the fetal heart rate or rhythm is abnormal. 3. Keep a log of the fetal heart rate and rhythm. 4. Undergo a fetal echocardiogram every 2 weeks between 17-26 weeks.
The exclusion criteria of the research study are: if you are less than 16 weeks or more than 18 6/7 weeks pregnant or you do not have SSA antibodies.
Compensation is not provided to participate in the study
The monitoring period is from the first visit at 17-18 weeks (before the SSA antibodies are thought to cross the placenta) to 25 weeks of gestation or when AV block develops (if it does develop)
