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Results of early foetal echocardiography and cumulative detection rate of congenital heart disease

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 May 2011

David R. Hartge ,
Jan Weichert ,
Martin Krapp ,
Ute Germer ,
Ulrich Gembruch  and
Roland Axt-Fliedner
David R. Hartge*
Affiliation:
Department of Prenatal Medicine, University Hospital of Schleswig-Holstein, Luebeck, Germany
Jan Weichert
Affiliation:
Department of Prenatal Medicine, University Hospital of Schleswig-Holstein, Luebeck, Germany
Martin Krapp
Affiliation:
Endokrinologikum Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
Ute Germer
Affiliation:
Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Caritas Hospital St. Josef, Section of Prenatal Medicine, Regensburg, Germany
Ulrich Gembruch
Affiliation:
Department of Obstetrics and Prenatal Medicine, University Hospital of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
Roland Axt-Fliedner
Affiliation:
Department of Prenatal Medicine, University Hospital of Gießen and Marburg, Giessen, Germany
*
Correspondence to: D. R. Hartge, Department of Prenatal Medicine, University Hospital of Schleswig-Holstein, Luebeck, Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23538 Luebeck, Germany. Tel: +49 451 500 2138; Fax: +49 451 500 2192; E-mail: dhartge@gmail.com
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Abstract

Objective

The aim of this study is to evaluate the cumulative detection rate of foetal echocardiography during gestation and in the early neonatal period, with a special emphasis on early foetal echocardiography.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective survey of all singleton pregnancies from 1993 to 2007, with complete sequential echocardiography from 11 plus 0 to 13 plus 6 weeks of gestation. It was mandatory to have at least one foetal echocardiography in the second or third trimester and one postnatally.

Results

Our study included 3521 pregnancies, in which 77 cases were diagnosed with congenital heart disease. Of them, 66 were detected in the first trimester – 11 plus 0 to 11 plus 6 weeks: 22 cases; 12 plus 0 to 12 plus 6 weeks: 23 cases; 13 plus 0 to 13 plus 6 weeks: 21 cases – with an 85.7% detection rate of congenital heart disease in early foetal echocardiography. In the second trimester, seven cases were found, with a detection rate of 9.1%. The third trimester reported two cases, with a detection rate of 2.6%. Postnatally, two (2.6%) cases were detected. The overall in utero detection rate of congenital heart disease was 97.4%.

Conclusions

Foetal echocardiography performed at the time of anomaly screening in the first trimester results in high detection rates of congenital heart disease. Cardiac pathology may evolve, and further examinations at later stages of pregnancy could improve the detection rate of congenital heart disease.

Keywords

Ultrasoundfoetal heartprenatal screening
Type
Original Articles
Information
Cardiology in the Young , Volume 21 , Issue 5 , 09 September 2011 , pp. 505 - 517
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2011

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