A cardiac defect was found in 45 fetuses with increased NT. Fetuses with increased NT showed a higher ductus venosus PIV and a lower a-V compared to fetuses with normal NT (P<.05). Within the group of fetuses with increased NT, a higher PIV and a lower a-V were found in cases with a cardiac defect compared to cases with a normal heart (P<.001). No differences in PIV and a-V were found between the types of cardiac defects