FE Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield FE facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. Color Doppler aliasing in fetal echocardiography indicates: → Flow velocity exceeding the Nyquist limit
2. Which fetal cardiac defect is most likely responsible for a markedly enlarged, globular heart occupying most of the thorax with severe tricuspid regurgitation? → Severe Ebstein anomaly
3. A reversed a-wave in the ductus venosus Doppler suggests: → Elevated right atrial pressure or cardiac compromise
4. The normal combined cardiac output (CCO) in a near-term fetus is approximately: → 300–500 mL/kg/min
5. Parvovirus B19 infection in the fetus primarily causes cardiac compromise through: → Severe fetal anemia causing high-output cardiac failure
6. By what gestational week is cardiac septation (atrial and ventricular) normally complete in the human embryo? → Week 7–8
7. Which cardiomyopathy pattern is most commonly associated with poorly controlled maternal diabetes? → Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with septal hypertrophy
8. The myocardial performance index (Tei index) in fetal echocardiography is calculated as: → (IVCT + IVRT) / Ejection time
9. Which technique is used to evaluate fetal heart rhythm? → M-mode
10. In fetal echocardiography, the ductus venosus waveform is normally characterized by: → Triphasic flow with S, D, and a-wave, all in forward direction
11. At what gestational age does the fetal heart typically begin to beat? → 5-6 weeks
12. Which echocardiographic view best identifies ventricular septal defects (VSD)? → Four-chamber view
13. Fetal cardiac rhabdomyomas are associated with which genetic condition in up to 80% of cases? → Tuberous sclerosis complex
14. Which Doppler waveform index is most commonly used to assess umbilical artery resistance? → Pulsatility index (PI)
15. During cardiac development, neural crest cells primarily contribute to formation of which structure? → Conotruncal septum and great vessel walls
16. Complete fetal heart block is most strongly associated with which maternal antibody? → Anti-Ro/SSA and anti-La/SSB antibodies
17. Which finding on fetal echocardiography suggests cardiac dysfunction in a hydropic fetus? → Cardiomegaly with cardiothoracic ratio >0.50
18. What is the primary purpose of using a high frame rate (>100 fps) in fetal echocardiography? → To accurately capture rapid cardiac events such as valve motion in a high-heart-rate fetus
19. Which antiarrhythmic drug is most commonly used as first-line transplacental therapy for fetal SVT? → Digoxin
20. Which cardiac defect results from failure of the aortopulmonary septum to spiral normally? → D-transposition of the great arteries
21. Which fetal cardiac tumor is associated with Turner syndrome and pericardial effusion? → Intrapericardial teratoma
22. When performing fetal echocardiography, which view is obtained by rotating the transducer 90° from the four-chamber view toward the fetal left shoulder? → Long-axis left ventricular outflow tract view
23. In fetal cardiac biometry, z-scores normalize measurements primarily against which parameter? → Estimated fetal weight or gestational age
24. What is the expected right ventricular (RV) to left ventricular (LV) size relationship in a normal fetus on the four-chamber view? → Approximately equal, with the RV mildly dominant (RV:LV ≈ 1.0–1.1)
25. The ISUOG guideline recommends obtaining a fetal echocardiogram at what gestational age for optimal image quality? → 18–22 weeks
26. What is the normal direction of the foramen ovale flap (septum primum) motion in the fetus? → From right atrium into left atrium
27. Which ultrasound view is most essential for initial fetal heart screening? → Four-chamber view
28. A fetus with 22q11.2 deletion (DiGeorge syndrome) would most likely show which cardiac defect on echocardiography? → Conotruncal anomalies such as truncus arteriosus or interrupted aortic arch
29. The four-chamber view Doppler of the mitral and tricuspid inflow shows an A-wave dominant pattern in early gestation because: → Fetal myocardium has reduced compliance, making active filling dominant
30. Which ratio combines umbilical artery and middle cerebral artery Doppler to assess fetal well-being? → Cerebro-placental ratio (CPR)