Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-2xdlg Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-01T03:26:07.734Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Abstracts for the British Congenital Cardiac Association Annual Meeting: The Barbican, London, 24–25 November 2005: Poster Presentations: 8 Years of fetal echocardiography in high-risk mothers: The Birmingham Women’s Hospital experience

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 June 2006

S. V. Rasiah
Affiliation:
Department of Neonatology Birmingham Women's Hospital
A. K. Ewer
Affiliation:
Department of Neonatology Birmingham Women's Hospital
P. Miller
Affiliation:
Department of Paediatric Cardiology, Birmingham Children's Hospital
J. G. Wright
Affiliation:
Department of Paediatric Cardiology, Birmingham Children's Hospital
M. D. Kilby
Affiliation:
Department of Fetal Medicine, Birmingham Women's Hospital

Abstract

Introduction: Congenital heart disease (CHD) affects 8 per 1000 live births and it is also responsible for 20% of neonatal deaths. Antenatal diagnosis of major CHD allows appropriate counselling and planning for delivery at a neonatal unit with appropriate intensive care and transport facilities. Birmingham Women’s Hospital provides a supra-regional specialist fetal echocardiography in high-risk mothers. Aim: To evaluate fetal echocardiography findings in high-risk mothers over an 8 year period. Method: We undertook a retrospective review of all pregnant women at high-risk of having a baby with congenital heart disease who underwent fetal echocardiography between 01/01/1997 and 31/12/2004 at Birmingham Women’s Hospital. Results: 3,963 mothers were referred for fetal echocardiography and a total of 5,568 fetal echocardiography examinations were carried out during this period. The main reasons for referral were: (i) previously affected child – 27% (ii) abnormal initial screening scan – 20.7% (iii) maternal cardiac condition – 9.5% (iv) infant of diabetic mothers – 8% and (v) increased fetal nuchal translucency – 3%. Seven hundred and twleve (17.9%) echocardiograms were reported as abnormal. The majority of the abnormalities were identified in mothers who had abnormal initial screening scan (62%). In addition, the echocardiogram was also abnormal in 9% of cases with increased fetal nuchal translucency and in 5.7% of infants of diabetic mothers. In those with previously affected child and maternal cardiac condition, the echocardiogram was abnormal in 2.5% and 2.6% respectively. Conclusion: Abnormal initial screening scans and increased nuchal translucency had the highest yield in identifying CHD in high-risk mothers. Infant of diabetic mothers also have an increased risk warranting fetal cardiac screening for CHD. Normal fetal echocardiogram provides reassurance for the remainder of parents.

Type
British Congenital Cardiac Association: Abstracts
Copyright
© 2006 Cambridge University Press

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)