Impact of prenatal diagnosis on survival and early neurologic morbidity in neonates with the hypoplastic left heart syndrome

An Observational Study of Dialogue about Uncertainty in Clinician-Family Counseling Conversations Following Prenatal Diagnosis of Complex Congenital Heart Disease

Objective

Families who receive a prenatal diagnosis of complex congenital heart disease (cCHD) often experience severe psychological distress and identify uncertainty as a key source of that distress. This study examined clinician-family conversations during initial fetal cardiology consultations to identify the topics of uncertainty discussed.

Methods

In this observational, qualitative study, initial fetal cardiology consultations were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and coded by two independent coders. A codebook was inductively and deductively developed and applied. This content analysis focused on uncertainty-related codes and associated themes.

Results

During 19 consultations including five clinicians, 13 different cardiac diagnoses were discussed (seven with high mortality risk). Median consultation length was 37 min (IQR: 26-51), with only 11% of words spoken by families. On average, 51% of total words spoken focused on uncertainty in relation to cardiac diagnosis, etiology, comorbidities, prognosis, childbirth, therapeutics, and logistics. Family-initiated discussion on uncertainty largely focused on childbirth and pregnancy and postpartum logistics.

Conclusions

Half of dialogue within initial fetal cardiology encounters discussed uncertainty surrounding prenatally diagnosed cCHD. Parent and clinician perspectives should be gathered on the essential content and optimal delivery of uncertainty-related topics.

Innovation

This study is conceptually and methodologically innovative as one of the first to examine audio-recorded dialogue between fetal cardiology clinicians and families.

Comprehensive Review of the Psychosocial Impact on Parents of Newborns With Congenital Heart Disease: A Significant Problem in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

Congenital heart disease (CHD) is a common and significant congenital disorder. Despite advancements in neonatal care, Congenital heart disease remains a leading cause of death among infants with congenital malformations. Congenital heart disease is responsible for a significant portion of stillbirths and includes several forms with various anatomical variations. A CHD diagnosis leads to significant emotional distress for parents, affecting family dynamics and quality of life. Parents often experience psychological impacts, such as anxiety, depression, and guilt, particularly when diagnoses occur after birth. This literature review explores the psychosocial impact of CHD on families and examines how the timing of diagnosis influences outcomes. Parents face numerous challenges, including managing complex medical care and addressing financial and emotional burdens. Effective communication between healthcare providers and families is crucial, as is providing continuous emotional support and counseling. Early psychological interventions can alleviate depression and anxiety, and pediatric psychologists play a significant role in reducing the negative long-term effects on neurodevelopment. Further research is needed to develop strategies to improve mental health services and enhance the quality of life for families affected by CHD.

A Systematic Review of Methods and Practice for Integrating Maternal, Fetal, and Child Health Outcomes, and Family Spillover Effects into Cost-Utility Analyses

BACKGROUND

Maternal-perinatal interventions delivered during pregnancy or childbirth have unique characteristics that impact the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of the mother, fetus, and newborn child. However, maternal-perinatal cost-utility analyses (CUAs) often only consider either maternal or child health outcomes. Challenges include, but are not limited to, measuring fetal, newborn, and infant health outcomes, and assessing their impact on maternal HRQoL. It is also important to recognize the impact of maternal-perinatal health on family members' HRQoL (i.e., family spillover effects) and to incorporate these effects in maternal-perinatal CUAs.

OBJECTIVE

The aim was to systematically review the methods used to include health outcomes of pregnant women, fetuses, and children and to incorporate family spillover effects in maternal-perinatal CUAs.

METHODS

A literature search was conducted in Medline, Embase, EconLit, Cochrane Collection, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), International Network of Agencies for Health Technology Assessment (INAHTA), and the Pediatric Economic Database Evaluation (PEDE) databases from inception to 2020 to identify maternal-perinatal CUAs that included health outcomes for pregnant women, fetuses, and/or children. The search was updated to December 2022 using PEDE. Data describing how the health outcomes of mothers, fetuses, and children were measured, incorporated, and reported along with the data on family spillover effects were extracted.

RESULTS

Out of 174 maternal-perinatal CUAs identified, 62 considered the health outcomes of pregnant women, and children. Among the 54 quality-adjusted life year (QALY)-based CUAs, 12 included fetal health outcomes, the impact of fetal loss on mothers' HRQoL, and the impact of neonatal demise on mothers' HRQoL. Four studies considered fetal health outcomes and the effects of fetal loss on mothers' HRQoL. One study included fetal health outcomes and the impact of neonatal demise on maternal HRQoL. Furthermore, six studies considered the impact of neonatal demise on maternal HRQoL, while four included fetal health outcomes. One study included the impact of fetal loss on maternal HRQoL. The remaining 26 only included the health outcomes of pregnant women and children. Among the eight disability-adjusted life year (DALY)-based CUAs, two measured fetal health outcomes. Out of 174 studies, only one study included family spillover effects. The most common measurement approach was to measure the health outcomes of pregnant women and children separately. Various approaches were used to assess fetal losses in terms of QALYs or DALYs and their impact on HRQoL of mothers. The most common integration approach was to sum the QALYs or DALYs for pregnant women and children. Most studies reported combined QALYs and incremental QALYs, or DALYs and incremental DALYs, at the family level for pregnant women and children.

CONCLUSIONS

Approximately one-third of maternal-perinatal CUAs included the health outcomes of pregnant women, fetuses, and/or children. Future CUAs of maternal-perinatal interventions, conducted from a societal perspective, should aim to incorporate health outcomes for mothers, fetuses, and children when appropriate. The various approaches used within these CUAs highlight the need for standardized measurement and integration methods, potentially leading to rigorous and standardized inclusion practices, providing higher-quality evidence to better inform decision-makers about the costs and benefits of maternal-perinatal interventions. Health Technology Assessment agencies may consider providing guidance for interventions affecting future lives in future updates.

Interaction between clinicians and artificial intelligence to detect fetal atrioventricular septal defects on ultrasound: how can we optimize collaborative performance?

OBJECTIVES

Artificial intelligence (AI) has shown promise in improving the performance of fetal ultrasound screening in detecting congenital heart disease (CHD). The effect of giving AI advice to human operators has not been studied in this context. Giving additional information about AI model workings, such as confidence scores for AI predictions, may be a way of further improving performance. Our aims were to investigate whether AI advice improved overall diagnostic accuracy (using a single CHD lesion as an exemplar), and to determine what, if any, additional information given to clinicians optimized the overall performance of the clinician-AI team.

METHODS

An AI model was trained to classify a single fetal CHD lesion (atrioventricular septal defect (AVSD)), using a retrospective cohort of 121 130 cardiac four-chamber images extracted from 173 ultrasound scan videos (98 with normal hearts, 75 with AVSD); a ResNet50 model architecture was used. Temperature scaling of model prediction probability was performed on a validation set, and gradient-weighted class activation maps (grad-CAMs) produced. Ten clinicians (two consultant fetal cardiologists, three trainees in pediatric cardiology and five fetal cardiac sonographers) were recruited from a center of fetal cardiology to participate. Each participant was shown 2000 fetal four-chamber images in a random order (1000 normal and 1000 AVSD). The dataset comprised 500 images, each shown in four conditions: (1) image alone without AI output; (2) image with binary AI classification; (3) image with AI model confidence; and (4) image with grad-CAM image overlays. The clinicians were asked to classify each image as normal or AVSD.

RESULTS

A total of 20 000 image classifications were recorded from 10 clinicians. The AI model alone achieved an accuracy of 0.798 (95% CI, 0.760-0.832), a sensitivity of 0.868 (95% CI, 0.834-0.902) and a specificity of 0.728 (95% CI, 0.702-0.754), and the clinicians without AI achieved an accuracy of 0.844 (95% CI, 0.834-0.854), a sensitivity of 0.827 (95% CI, 0.795-0.858) and a specificity of 0.861 (95% CI, 0.828-0.895). Showing a binary (normal or AVSD) AI model output resulted in significant improvement in accuracy to 0.865 (P < 0.001). This effect was seen in both experienced and less-experienced participants. Giving incorrect AI advice resulted in a significant deterioration in overall accuracy, from 0.761 to 0.693 (P < 0.001), which was driven by an increase in both Type-I and Type-II errors by the clinicians. This effect was worsened by showing model confidence (accuracy, 0.649; P < 0.001) or grad-CAM (accuracy, 0.644; P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

AI has the potential to improve performance when used in collaboration with clinicians, even if the model performance does not reach expert level. Giving additional information about model workings such as model confidence and class activation map image overlays did not improve overall performance, and actually worsened performance for images for which the AI model was incorrect. © 2024 The Authors. Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Antenatal diagnosis, neonatal brain volumes, and neurodevelopment in transposition of the great arteries

AIM

To examine whether antenatal diagnosis modifies relationships between neonatal brain volumes and 18-month neurodevelopmental outcomes in children with transposition of the great arteries (TGA).

METHOD

In a retrospective cohort of 139 children with TGA (77 antenatally diagnosed), we obtained total brain volumes (TBVs) on pre- (n = 102) and postoperative (n = 112) magnetic resonance imaging. Eighteen-month neurodevelopmental outcomes were assessed using the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition. Generalized estimating equations with interaction terms were used to determine whether antenatal diagnosis modified associations between TBVs and neurodevelopmental outcomes accounting for postmenstrual age at scan, brain injury, and ventricular septal defect.

RESULTS

Infants with postnatal diagnosis had more preoperative hypotension (35% vs 14%, p = 0.004). The interactions between antenatal diagnosis and TBVs were significantly related to cognitive (p = 0.003) outcomes. Specifically, smaller TBVs were associated with lower cognitive scores in infants diagnosed postnatally; this association was attenuated in those diagnosed antenatally.

INTERPRETATION

Antenatal diagnosis modifies associations between neonatal brain volume and 18-month cognitive outcome in infants with TGA. These findings suggest that antenatal diagnosis may be neuroprotective, possibly through improved preoperative clinical status. These data highlight the need to improve antenatal diagnosis rates.

WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS

Antenatal diagnosis of transposition of the great arteries modified relationships between neonatal brain volume and neurodevelopment. Smaller brain volumes related to poorer cognitive scores with postnatal diagnosis only. There was more preoperative hypotension in the postnatal diagnosis group.

Suboptimal Imaging on Obstetric Ultrasound Should Prompt Early Referral for Fetal Echocardiography

Recent studies suggest that suboptimal cardiac imaging on routine obstetric anatomy ultrasound (OB-scan) is not associated with a higher risk for congenital heart disease (CHD) and, therefore, should not be an indication for fetal echocardiography (F-echo). We aim to determine the incidence of CHD in patients referred for suboptimal imaging in a large catchment area, including regions that are geographically distant from a tertiary care center. We conducted a retrospective chart review of patients referred to Seattle Children's Hospital (SCH) and SCH Regional Cardiology sites (SCH-RC) from 2011 to 2021 for F-echo with the indication of suboptimal cardiac imaging by OB-scan. Of 454 patients referred for suboptimal imaging, 21 (5%) of patients were diagnosed with CHD confirmed on postnatal echo. 10 patients (2%) required intervention by age one. Mean GA at F-echo was significantly later for suboptimal imaging compared to all other referral indications (27.5 ± 3.9 vs 25.2 ± 5.2 weeks, p < 0.01). Mean GA at F-echo was also significantly later at SCH-RC compared to SCH (29.2 ± 4.6 vs 24.2 ± 2.9 weeks; p < 0.01). In our experience, CHD in patients referred for suboptimal imaging is higher (5%) than previously described, suggesting that routine referral for is warranted. Furthermore, while suboptimal imaging was associated with a delayed F-echo compared to other indications, this delay was most striking for those seen at regional sites. This demonstrates a potential disparity for these patients and highlights opportunities for targeted education in cardiac assessment for primary providers in these regions.

Controlled prospective study on ultrasound simulation training in fetal echocardiography: FESIM II

PURPOSE

To analyze the learning curves of ultrasound novices in fetal echocardiography during structured simulation-based ultrasound training (SIM-UT) including a virtual, randomly moving fetus.

METHODS

11 medical students with minimal (< 10 h) prior obstetric ultrasound experience underwent 12 h of structured fetal echocardiography SIM-UT in individual hands-on sessions during a 6-week training program. Their learning progress was assessed with standardized tests after 2, 4, and 6 weeks of SIM-UT. Participants were asked to obtain 11 fetal echocardiography standard planes (in accordance with ISUOG and AHA guidelines) as quickly as possible. All tests were carried out under real life, examination-like conditions on a healthy, randomly moving fetus. Subsequently, we analyzed the rate of correctly obtained images and the total time to completion (TTC). As reference groups, 10 Ob/Gyn physicians (median of 750 previously performed Ob/Gyn scans) and 10 fetal echocardiography experts (median of 15,000 previously performed Ob/Gyn scans) were examined with the same standardized tests.

RESULTS

The students showed a consistent and steady improvement of their ultrasound performance during the training program. After 2 weeks, they were able to obtain > 95% of the standard planes correctly. After 6 weeks, they were significantly faster than the physician group (p < 0.001) and no longer significantly slower than the expert group (p = 0.944).

CONCLUSION

SIM-UT is highly effective to learn fetal echocardiography. Regarding the acquisition of the AHA/ISUOG fetal echocardiography standard planes, the students were able to reach the same skill level as the expert group within 6 weeks.

Racial, ethnic, and socio-economic disparities in neonatal ICU admissions among neonates born with cyanotic CHD in the United States, 2009-2018

INTRODUCTION

Disparities in CHD outcomes exist across the lifespan. However, less is known about disparities for patients with CHD admitted to neonatal ICU. We sought to identify sociodemographic disparities in neonatal ICU admissions among neonates born with cyanotic CHD.

MATERIALS & METHODS

Annual natality files from the US National Center for Health Statistics for years 2009-2018 were obtained. For each neonate, we identified sex, birthweight, pre-term birth, presence of cyanotic CHD, and neonatal ICU admission at time of birth, as well as maternal age, race, ethnicity, comorbidities/risk factors, trimester at start of prenatal care, educational attainment, and two measures of socio-economic status (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children [WIC] status and insurance type). Multivariable logistic regression models were fit to determine the association of maternal socio-economic status with neonatal ICU admission. A covariate for race/ethnicity was then added to each model to determine if race/ethnicity attenuate the relationship between socio-economic status and neonatal ICU admission.

RESULTS

Of 22,373 neonates born with cyanotic CHD, 77.2% had a neonatal ICU admission. Receipt of WIC benefits was associated with higher odds of neonatal ICU admission (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.20, 95% CI 1.1-1.29, p < 0.01). Neonates born to non-Hispanic Black mothers had increased odds of neonatal ICU admission (aOR 1.20, 95% CI 1.07-1.35, p < 0.01), whereas neonates born to Hispanic mothers were at lower odds of neonatal ICU admission (aOR 0.84, 95% CI 0.76-0.93, p < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

Maternal Black race and low socio-economic status are associated with increased risk of neonatal ICU admission for neonates born with cyanotic CHD. Further work is needed to identify the underlying causes of these disparities.

Feasibility and reliability of fetal two dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography at 16 weeks gestational age: A pilot study

BACKGROUND

Fetal two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography (2D-STE) is an emerging technique for assessing fetal cardiac function by measuring global longitudinal strain. Alterations in global longitudinal strain may serve as early indicator of pregnancy complications, making 2D-STE a potentially valuable tool for early detection. Early detection can facilitate timely interventions to reduce fetal and maternal morbidity and mortality. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of performing 2D-STE at 16 weeks gestational age.

METHODS

This pilot study utilized 50 ultrasound clips of the fetal four-chamber view recorded between 15+5 and 16+2 weeks gestational age from a prospective cohort study. A strict protocol assessed three parameters essential for 2D-STE analysis: fetal four-chamber view ultrasound clip quality, region of interest, and frame rates. Two independent researchers measured global longitudinal strain in all adequate fetal four-chamber view ultrasound clips to determine inter- and intra-operator reliability.

RESULTS

Out of the 50 ultrasound clips, 37 (74%) were feasible for 2D-STE analysis. The inter-operator reliability for global longitudinal strain measurements of the left and right ventricles was moderate (ICC of 0.64 and 0.74, respectively), while the intra-operator reliability was good (ICC of 0.76 and 0.79, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings demonstrate that fetal 2D-STE analysis at 16 weeks gestational age is feasible when adhering to a strict protocol. However, further improvements are necessary to enhance the inter- and intra-operator reliability of 2D-STE at this gestational age.

Prenatal vs postnatal diagnosis of 22q11.2 deletion syndrome: cardiac and noncardiac outcomes through 1 year of age

BACKGROUND

The 22q11.2 deletion syndrome is the most common microdeletion syndrome and is frequently associated with congenital heart disease. Prenatal diagnosis of 22q11.2 deletion syndrome is increasingly offered. It is unknown whether there is a clinical benefit to prenatal detection as compared with postnatal diagnosis.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to determine differences in perinatal and infant outcomes between patients with prenatal and postnatal diagnosis of 22q11.2 deletion syndrome.

STUDY DESIGN

This was a retrospective cohort study across multiple international centers (30 sites, 4 continents) from 2006 to 2019. Participants were fetuses, neonates, or infants with a genetic diagnosis of 22q11.2 deletion syndrome by 1 year of age with or without congenital heart disease; those with prenatal diagnosis or suspicion (suggestive ultrasound findings and/or high-risk cell-free fetal DNA screen for 22q11.2 deletion syndrome with postnatal confirmation) were compared with those with postnatal diagnosis. Perinatal management, cardiac and noncardiac morbidity, and mortality by 1 year were assessed. Outcomes were adjusted for presence of critical congenital heart disease, gestational age at birth, and site.

RESULTS

A total of 625 fetuses, neonates, or infants with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (53.4% male) were included: 259 fetuses were prenatally diagnosed (156 [60.2%] were live-born) and 122 neonates were prenatally suspected with postnatal confirmation, whereas 244 infants were postnatally diagnosed. In the live-born cohort (n=522), 1-year mortality was 5.9%, which did not differ between groups but differed by the presence of critical congenital heart disease (hazard ratio, 4.18; 95% confidence interval, 1.56-11.18; P<.001) and gestational age at birth (hazard ratio, 0.78 per week; 95% confidence interval, 0.69-0.89; P<.001). Adjusting for critical congenital heart disease and gestational age at birth, the prenatal cohort was less likely to deliver at a local community hospital (5.1% vs 38.2%; odds ratio, 0.11; 95% confidence interval, 0.06-0.23; P<.001), experience neonatal cardiac decompensation (1.3% vs 5.0%; odds ratio, 0.11; 95% confidence interval, 0.03-0.49; P=.004), or have failure to thrive by 1 year (43.4% vs 50.3%; odds ratio, 0.58; 95% confidence interval, 0.36-0.91; P=.019).

CONCLUSION

Prenatal detection of 22q11.2 deletion syndrome was associated with improved delivery management and less cardiac and noncardiac morbidity, but not mortality, compared with postnatal detection.

Maternal and neonatal factors associated with cesarean delivery in a cohort of pregnancies complicated by prenatally diagnosed congenital heart disease

BACKGROUND

Pregnancies with prenatally diagnosed congenital heart disease (CHD) have increased cesarean delivery (CD) rates, with no outcome improvement.

OBJECTIVE

We aim to examine indications for delivery, indications for CD and risk factors associated with CD.

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective cohort of 322 singleton pregnancies prenatally diagnosed with moderate to severe CHD. We compared maternal and fetal factors correlated with delivery route.

RESULTS

CD rate was 46% (95% CI 40, 51%). Of all CD, 31.3% (95% CI 23.8, 38.7) were secondary to urgent fetal indications. However, 79.7% of inductions resulted in vaginal delivery (VD). Factors associated with CD include morbid obesity (RR 3.0, 95% CI 1.5, 6.1), diabetes (RR 3.9, 95% CI 2.0, 7.3) and severe pre-eclampsia (6.0, 95% CI 1.7, 21.4). Of the 10 most frequent CHD diagnoses, only hypoplastic-left-heart was associated with CD (OR 1.9, 95% CI 1.02, 3.4).

CONCLUSIONS

Although the CD rate is higher in fetal CHD, most indications for CD are maternal.

Pattern Recognition and Anomaly Detection in fetal morphology using Deep Learning and Statistical learning (PARADISE): protocol for the development of an intelligent decision support system using fetal morphology ultrasound scan to detect fetal congenital anomaly detection

INTRODUCTION

Congenital anomalies are the most encountered cause of fetal death, infant mortality and morbidity. 7.9 million infants are born with congenital anomalies yearly. Early detection of congenital anomalies facilitates life-saving treatments and stops the progression of disabilities. Congenital anomalies can be diagnosed prenatally through morphology scans. A correct interpretation of the morphology scan allows a detailed discussion with the parents regarding the prognosis. The central feature of this project is the development of a specialised intelligent system that uses two-dimensional ultrasound movies obtained during the standard second trimester morphology scan to identify congenital anomalies in fetuses.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

The project focuses on three pillars: committee of deep learning and statistical learning algorithms, statistical analysis, and operational research through learning curves. The cross-sectional study is divided into a training phase where the system learns to detect congenital anomalies using fetal morphology ultrasound scan, and then it is tested on previously unseen scans. In the training phase, the intelligent system will learn to answer the following specific objectives: (a) the system will learn to guide the sonographer's probe for better acquisition; (b) the fetal planes will be automatically detected, measured and stored and (c) unusual findings will be signalled. During the testing phase, the system will automatically perform the above tasks on previously unseen videos.Pregnant patients in their second trimester admitted for their routine scan will be consecutively included in a 32-month study (4 May 2022-31 December 2024). The number of patients is 4000, enrolled by 10 doctors/sonographers. We will develop an intelligent system that uses multiple artificial intelligence algorithms that interact between themselves, in bulk or individual. For each anatomical part, there will be an algorithm in charge of detecting it, followed by another algorithm that will detect whether anomalies are present or not. The sonographers will validate the findings at each intermediate step.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

All protocols and the informed consent form comply with the Health Ministry and professional society ethics guidelines. The University of Craiova Ethics Committee has approved this study protocol as well as the Romanian Ministry of Research Innovation and Digitization that funded this research. The study will be implemented and reported in line with the STROBE (STrengthening the Reporting of OBservational studies in Epidemiology) statement.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

The study is registered under the name 'Pattern recognition and Anomaly Detection in fetal morphology using Deep Learning and Statistical Learning', project number 101PCE/2022, project code PN-III-P4-PCE-2021-0057.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov, unique identifying number NCT05738954, date of registration: 2 November 2023.

Fetal electrocardiography and artificial intelligence for prenatal detection of congenital heart disease

INTRODUCTION

This study aims to investigate non-invasive electrocardiography as a method for the detection of congenital heart disease (CHD) with the help of artificial intelligence.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

An artificial neural network was trained for the identification of CHD using non-invasively obtained fetal electrocardiograms. With the help of a Bayesian updating rule, multiple electrocardiographs were used to increase the algorithm's performance.

RESULTS

Using 122 measurements containing 65 healthy and 57 CHD cases, the accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity were found to be 71%, 63%, and 77%, respectively. The sensitivity was however 75% and 69% for CHD cases requiring an intervention in the neonatal period and first year of life, respectively. Furthermore, a positive effect of measurement length on the detection performance was observed, reaching optimal performance when using 14 electrocardiography segments (37.5 min) or more. A small negative trend between gestational age and accuracy was found.

CONCLUSIONS

The proposed method combining recent advances in obtaining non-invasive fetal electrocardiography with artificial intelligence for the automatic detection of CHD achieved a detection rate of 63% for all CHD and 75% for critical CHD. This feasibility study shows that detection rates of CHD might improve by using electrocardiography-based screening complementary to the standard ultrasound-based screening. More research is required to improve performance and determine the benefits to clinical practice.

Commentary on "Brain Injury During Transition in the Newborn With Congenital Heart Disease: Hazards of the Preoperative Period"

BRAIN INJURY DURING TRANSITION IN THE NEWBORN WITH CONGENITAL HEART DISEASE: HAZARDS OF THE PREOPERATIVE PERIOD: Jennifer M. Lynch, J. William Gaynor, Daniel J. Licht Seminars in Pediatric Neurology Volume 28, December 2018, Pages 60-65 Infants born with critical congenital heart disease are at risk for neurodevelopmental morbidities later in life. In-utero differences in fetal circulation lead to vulnerabilities which lead to an increased incidence of stroke, white matter injury, and brain immaturity. Recent work has shown these infants may be most vulnerable to brain injury during the early neonatal period when they are awaiting their cardiac surgeries. Novel imaging and monitoring modalities are being employed to investigate this crucial time period and elucidate the precise timing and cause of brain injury in this population.

Abortion Bans and Resource Utilization for Congenital Heart Disease: A Decision Analysis

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the implications of potential national abortion ban scenarios on the incidence of neonatal single-ventricle cardiac defects.

METHODS

A decision tree model was developed to predict the incidence of neonatal single-ventricle cardiac defects and related outcomes in the United States under four theoretical national abortion bans: 1) abortion restrictions in existence immediately before the June 2022 Dobbs v Jackson Women's Health Organization Supreme Court decision, 2) 20 weeks of gestation, 3) 13 weeks of gestation, and 4) a complete abortion ban. The model included incidence of live births of neonates with single-ventricle cardiac defects, neonatal heart surgery (including heart transplant and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation [ECMO]), and neonatal death. Cohort size was based on national pregnancy incidence and different algorithm decision point probabilities were aggregated from the existing literature. Monte Carlo simulations were conducted with 10,000 iterations per model.

RESULTS

In the scenario before the Dobbs decision, an estimated 6,369,000 annual pregnancies in the United States resulted in 1,006 annual cases of single-ventricle cardiac defects. Under a complete abortion ban, the model predicted a 53.7% increase in single-ventricle cardiac defects, or an additional 9 cases per 100,000 live births. This increase would result in an additional 531 neonatal heart surgeries, 16 heart transplants, 77 ECMO utilizations, and 102 neonatal deaths annually. More restrictive gestational age-based bans are predicted to confer increases in cases of neonatal single-ventricle cardiac defects and related adverse outcomes as well.

CONCLUSION

Universal abortion bans are estimated to increase the incidence of neonatal single-ventricle cardiac defects, associated morbidity, and resource utilization. States considering limiting abortion should consider the implications on the resources required to care for increasing number of children that will be born with significant and complex medical needs, including those with congenital heart disease.

Fetal congenital heart diseases: Diagnosis by anatomical scans, echocardiography and genetic tests

Objective

To determine the distribution of major fetal congenital heart diseases (CHDs) diagnosed antenatally during routine second-trimester obstetric anatomical scans in an unselected population at a single tertiary centre and to characterise and stratify risk factors, genetic diagnosis and long-term health at 4 years old.

Method

A single-centre cohort study of all major fetal CHDs detected on routine obstetric fetal anatomical ultrasound scans between January 2014 and December 2017 was performed in an unselected population. Demographic details, fetal echocardiogram reports, genetic test results, delivery outcomes and postnatal progress were stratified by CHD subtype.

Results

Of 20,031 screened pregnancies, 109 pregnancies (0.53%) had major fetal CHDs. The most common subtypes were coarctation of aorta (17.4%), transposition of great arteries (16.5%), and tetralogy of Fallot and univentricular hearts (13.8% each). Of the 60.5% that underwent confirmatory genetic testing-mostly conventional karyotyping and testing for 22q11 microdeletion-about a quarter had abnormalities, of which 22q microdeletion was the most common. We had complete obstetric data in 85 pregnancies (78%), of which 76.5% progressed to live birth. Among these, 92.1% of postnatal echocardiograms concurred with antenatal ones. At 4 years old, 43.2% of offspring had no medical or developmental issues, 20.0% had mild medical or developmental issues, 21.5% had major medical or developmental issues, and 12.3% had deceased.

Conclusion

Fetal echocardiograms accurately diagnose CHDs. Future studies should evaluate the roles of chromosomal microarray and next-generation sequencing in diagnosing CHD.

Mapping parents' journey following prenatal diagnosis of CHD: a qualitative study

OBJECTIVE

To better understand parents' accounts of their prenatal and postnatal experience after prenatal diagnosis of CHD - particularly emotional processing and coping mechanisms - to identify strategies to improve support.

METHODS

This single-centre, longitudinal qualitative study included pregnant mothers and their support persons seen in Fetal Cardiology Clinic at Vanderbilt Children's Hospital from May through August 2019 for probable complex CHD. Twenty-seven individuals from 17 families participated in 62 phone interviews during pregnancy and postpartum: 27 conducted after the initial prenatal cardiology consultation, 15 after a follow-up prenatal visit, and 20 after birth. Applied thematic analysis approach was used to code and analyse transcribed interviews. Coding and codebook revisions occurred iteratively; intercoder reliability was >80%.

RESULTS

Patients included mothers (16 [59%]), fathers (8 [30%]), and other support persons (3 [11%]). Initial fetal diagnoses included a range of moderate to severe CHD. Prenatally, parents sought to maintain hope while understanding the diagnosis; planning for the future rather than focusing on day-to-day was more common if prognoses were better. Postnatally, with confirmation of prenatal diagnoses, parents' sense of control expanded, and they desired more active engagement in clinical decision making.

CONCLUSIONS

To enhance effective communication and support, understanding how parents conceptualise hope in relation to diagnosis and how that may evolve over time is critical. Expectant parents whose child has a significant risk of mortality may demonstrate hope by focusing on positivity. As prognostic uncertainty diminishes postpartum, the parental role on the team may shift, requiring clinicians to provide different support.

Analysis of the Results of Sonographic Screening Examinations According to the Maternity Guidelines Before and After the Introduction of the Extended Basic Screening (IIb Screening) in Hesse

AIM OF THE STUDY

The aim of the study is to examine the detection rates of malformations before and after the introduction of extended basic screening in Hesse by the Federal Joint Committee (Gemeinsamer Bundesausschuss, GQH) on July 1, 2013.

METHOD

This is a retrospective, mainly exploratory data analysis of quality assurance data from the Office for Quality Assurance in Hesse (GQH). The data was collected in the period from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2016 in the obstetric departments of the Hessian hospitals using documentation forms. The classification and evaluation of the diagnoses is based on ICD-10-GM-2019.

RESULTS

At least one malformation is present in 0.7% of the cases. With a share of 30.0%, most of the congenital malformations are from the musculoskeletal system. 12.2% of the malformations come from the facial cleft, closely followed by malformations of the circulatory system with 11.3%. The highest prenatal detection rate (PDR) is found in congenital malformations of the nervous system at 56.8%. The lowest PDR is found in those of the genital organs with 2.1%. The PDR of cardiovascular malformations is 32.9%. Overall, a PDR of 25.2% is achieved. There was no change in the number of prenatal malformation diagnoses after the introduction of extended basic ultrasound. The distribution of malformation diagnoses not detected prenatally to the organ systems also has not changed after the introduction.

CONCLUSION

The introduction of extended basic ultrasound did not bring the desired improvement with regard to the PDR in Hesse. Alternative approaches should be considered.

Artificial intelligence in obstetric ultrasound: A scoping review

The objective is to summarize the current use of artificial intelligence (AI) in obstetric ultrasound. PubMed, Cochrane Library, and ClinicalTrials.gov databases were searched using the following keywords "neural networks", OR "artificial intelligence", OR "machine learning", OR "deep learning", AND "obstetrics", OR "obstetrical", OR "fetus", OR "foetus", OR "fetal", OR "foetal", OR "pregnancy", or "pregnant", AND "ultrasound" from inception through May 2022. The search was limited to the English language. Studies were eligible for inclusion if they described the use of AI in obstetric ultrasound. Obstetric ultrasound was defined as the process of obtaining ultrasound images of a fetus, amniotic fluid, or placenta. AI was defined as the use of neural networks, machine learning, or deep learning methods. The authors' search identified a total of 127 papers that fulfilled our inclusion criteria. The current uses of AI in obstetric ultrasound include first trimester pregnancy ultrasound, assessment of placenta, fetal biometry, fetal echocardiography, fetal neurosonography, assessment of fetal anatomy, and other uses including assessment of fetal lung maturity and screening for risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes. AI holds the potential to improve the ultrasound efficiency, pregnancy outcomes in low resource settings, detection of congenital malformations and prediction of adverse pregnancy outcomes.

Impact of interdisciplinary counselling for parental decision-making in cases of pregnancies with prenatally diagnosed CHD

INTRODUCTION

Parental counselling after antenatal diagnosis of a congenital heart defect requires a high degree of professional and emotional competence and ultimately a sense of responsibility on the part of the consulting physicians. However, little is known about parents` perceptions and evaluation of these consultations.

MATERIAL/METHODS

Survey on 425 women who received interdisciplinary counselling after antenatal diagnosis of a complex fetal congenital heart defect in a specialized prenatal outpatient clinic with an affiliated paediatric heart centre. Two questionnaires were used to retrospectively evaluate the parental perception and impact on counselling, particularly on decision-making. Questionnaires differed between women conceiving the child and women who terminated the pregnancy.

RESULTS

400 women continued, 25 women terminated the pregnancy after diagnosis and counselling. Good quality of life was reported for 68% of the children, 15% died postnatally in the further course. 95% rated the counselling as good or very good regardless of the child´s outcome. 73% described the counselling as highly important for their subsequent decision. The possibility of termination of pregnancy was discussed with 37% of the respondents, 22% of them found it outrageous or very distressing. Of all respondents, one woman would have made a different decision regarding continuation of the pregnancy in retrospect.

CONCLUSION

Retrospectively, parents rate prenatal counselling extremely positively, irrespective of the severity of the child´s heart defect. It can be assumed that the consistent joint interdisciplinary consultation and the high reputation of the cooperating heart centre have had an influence on the below-average rate of termination of pregnancy.

Initial Counseling Prior to Palliation for Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome: 2021 vs 2011

We sought to examine current practices and changes in practice regarding initial counseling for families of patients with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) given the evolution of options and outcomes over time. Counseling (Norwood with Blalock-Taussig-Thomas shunt (NW-BTT), NW with right ventricle to pulmonary artery conduit (NW-RVPA), hybrid palliation, heart transplantation, or non-intervention/hospice (NI)) for patients with HLHS were queried via questionnaire of pediatric care professionals in 2021 and compared to identical questionnaire from 2011. Of 322 respondents in 2021 (39% female), 299 respondents were cardiologists (92.9%), 17cardiothoracic surgeons (5.3%), and 6 were nurse practitioners (1.9%). Respondents were largely from North America (96.9%). In 2021, NW-RVPA procedure was the preferred palliation for standard risk HLHS patient (61%) and was preferred across all US regions (p < 0.001). NI was offered as an option by 71.4% of respondents for standard risk patients and was the predominant strategy for patients with end-organ dysfunction, chromosomal abnormality, and prematurity (52%, 44%, and 45%, respectively). The hybrid procedure was preferred for low birth-weight infants (51%). In comparison to the identical 2011 questionnaire (n = 200), the NW-RVPA was endorsed more in 2021 (61% vs 52%, p = 0.04). For low birth-weight infants, hybrid procedure was more recommended than in 2011 (51% vs 21%, p < 0.001). The NW-RVPA operation is the most recommended strategy throughout the US for infants with HLHS. The hybrid procedure for low birth-weight infants is increasingly recommended. NI continues to be offered even in standard risk patients with HLHS.

Prenatal Congenital Heart Disease-It Takes a Multidisciplinary Village

Prenatal diagnosis of congenital heart disease (CHD) allows for thoughtful multidisciplinary planning about location, timing, and need for medical interventions at birth. We sought to assess the accuracy of our prenatal cardiac diagnosis, and postnatal needs for patients with CHD utilizing a multidisciplinary approach. We performed a retrospective chart review of fetal CHD patients between 1/1/18 and 4/30/19. Maternal and infant charts were reviewed for delivery planning, subspecialty care needs, genetic evaluation, prenatal and postnatal cardiac diagnoses, need for prostaglandin (PGE) and neonatal cardiac intervention. 82 maternal-fetal dyads met inclusion criteria during the study period and delivered at a median of 38w2d gestation. 32 (39%) dyads had CHD and other anomalies or genetic abnormalities. All dyads met with a genetic counselor and neonatologist. 11 patients delivered at outside hospitals as planned (all with isolated CHD not requiring neonatal intervention), and 5 chose a palliative delivery. 30 patients were counseled to expect a neonatal cardiac intervention and 25 (83%) underwent an intervention within the expected time period. No neonates required an uncounseled cardiac intervention. 29 patients planned for PGE at birth and 31 received PGE. Of the 79 postnatal echocardiograms, 60 (76%) were entirely consistent with the fetal diagnosis. A multidisciplinary approach to the prenatal diagnosis of CHD in maternal-fetal dyads is optimal and utilizing this method we were able to accurately predict postnatal physiology and ensure that patients delivered in the correct location with an appropriate supportive structure in place.

Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome: About a Postnatal Death

BACKGROUND

Hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) is a congenital heart disease that is associated with high mortality rates in the early neonatal period and during surgical treatments. This is mainly due to missed prenatal diagnosis, delayed diagnostic suspicion, and consequent unsuccessful therapeutic intervention.

CASE REPORT

twenty-six hours after birth, a female newborn died of severe respiratory failure. No cardiac abnormalities and no genetic diseases had been evidenced or documented during intrauterine life. The case became of medico-legal concern for the assessment of alleged medical malpractice. Therefore, a forensic autopsy was performed.

RESULTS

the macroscopic study of the heart revealed the hypoplasia of the left cardiac cavities with the left ventricle (LV) reduced to a slot and a right ventricular cavity that simulated the presence of a single and unique ventricular chamber. The predominance of the left heart was evident.

CONCLUSIONS

HLHS is a rare condition that is incompatible with life, with very high mortality from cardiorespiratory insufficiency that occurs soon after birth. The prompt diagnosis of HLHS during pregnancy is crucial in managing the disease with surgery.

Learning deep architectures for the interpretation of first-trimester fetal echocardiography (LIFE) - a study protocol for developing an automated intelligent decision support system for early fetal echocardiography

BACKGROUND

Congenital Heart Disease represents the most frequent fetal malformation. The lack of prenatal identification of congenital heart defects can have adverse consequences for the neonate, while a correct prenatal diagnosis of specific cardiac anomalies improves neonatal care neurologic and surgery outcomes. Sonographers perform prenatal diagnosis manually during the first or second-trimester scan, but the reported detection rates are low. This project's primary objective is to develop an Intelligent Decision Support System that uses two-dimensional video files of cardiac sweeps obtained during the standard first-trimester fetal echocardiography (FE) to signal the presence/absence of previously learned key features.

METHODS

The cross-sectional study will be divided into a training part of the machine learning approaches and the testing phase on previously unseen frames and eventually on actual video scans. Pregnant women in their 12-13 + 6 weeks of gestation admitted for routine first-trimester anomaly scan will be consecutively included in a two-year study, depending on the availability of the experienced sonographers in early fetal cardiac imaging involved in this research. The Data Science / IT department (DSIT) will process the key planes identified by the sonographers in the two- dimensional heart cine loop sweeps: four-chamber view, left and right ventricular outflow tracts, three vessels, and trachea view. The frames will be grouped into the classes representing the plane views, and then different state-of-the- art deep-learning (DL) pre-trained algorithms will be tested on the data set. The sonographers will validate all the intermediary findings at the frame level and the meaningfulness of the video labeling.

DISCUSSION

FE is feasible and efficient during the first trimester. Still, the continuous training process is impaired by the lack of specialists or their limited availability. Therefore, in our study design, the sonographer benefits from a second opinion provided by the developed software, which may be very helpful, especially if a more experienced colleague is unavailable. In addition, the software may be implemented on the ultrasound device so that the process could take place during the live examination.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

The study is registered under the name "Learning deep architectures for the Interpretation of Fetal Echocardiography (LIFE)", project number 408PED/2020, project code PN-III-P2-2.1-PED-2019.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov , unique identifying number NCT05090306, date of registration 30.10.2020.

Bioethics for Neonatal Cardiac Care

BACKGROUND

Clinicians caring for neonates with congenital heart disease encounter challenges with ethical implications in daily practice and must have some basic fluency in ethical principles and practical applications.

METHODS

Good ethical practice begins with a thorough understanding of the details and narrative of each individual case, examination via classic principles of bioethics, and further framing of that translation into practice.

RESULTS

We explore some of these issues and expand awareness through the lens of a case presentation beginning with fetal considerations through end-of-life discussions.

CONCLUSIONS

We include specific sections that bring attention to shared decision-making, research ethics, and outcomes reporting. We review empirical evidence and highlight recommendations.

Preoperative in-hospital mortality in neonates with critical CHD

OBJECTIVE

Data regarding preoperative mortality in neonates with critical CHD are sparse and would aid patient care and family counselling. The objective of this study was to utilise a multicentre administrative dataset to report the rate of and identify risk factors for preoperative in-hospital mortality in neonates with critical CHD across US centres.

STUDY DESIGN

The Pediatric Health Information System database was utilised to search for newborns ≤30 days old, born 1 January 2009 to 30 June 2018, with an ICD-9/10 code for d-transposition of the great arteries, truncus arteriosus, interrupted aortic arch, or hypoplastic left heart syndrome. Preoperative in-hospital mortality was defined as patients who died prior to discharge without an ICD code for cardiac surgery or interventional catheterisation.

RESULTS

Overall preoperative mortality rate was at least 5.4% (690/12,739) and varied across diagnoses (d-TGA 2.9%, TA 8.3%, IAA 5.5%, and HLHS 7.3%) and centres (0-20.5%). In multivariable analysis, risk factors associated with preoperative mortality included preterm delivery (<37 weeks) (OR 2.3, 95% CI: 1.8-2.9; p < 0.01), low birth weight (<2.5 kg) (OR 3.8, 95% CI: 3.0-4.7; p < 0.01), and genetic abnormality (OR 1.6, 95% CI: 1.2-2.2; p < 0.01). Centre average surgical volume was not a significant risk factor.

CONCLUSION

Approximately 1 in 20 neonates with critical CHD suffered preoperative in-hospital mortality, and rates varied across diagnoses and centres. Better understanding of the factors that drive the variation (e.g. patient factors, preoperative care models, surgical timing) could help identify patient care improvement opportunities and inform conversations with families.

Care of the Fetus With Congenital Cardiovascular Disease: From Diagnosis to Delivery

BACKGROUND

The majority of congenital cardiovascular disease including structural cardiac defects, abnormalities in cardiac function, and rhythm disturbances can be identified prenatally using screening obstetrical ultrasound with referral for fetal echocardiogram when indicated.

METHODS

Diagnosis of congenital heart disease in the fetus should prompt assessment for extracardiac abnormalities and associated genetic abnormalities once maternal consent is obtained. Pediatric cardiologists, in conjunction with maternal-fetal medicine, neonatology, and cardiothoracic surgery subspecialists, should counsel families about the details of the congenital heart defect as well as prenatal and postnatal management.

RESULTS

Prenatal diagnosis often leads to increased maternal depression and anxiety; however, it decreases morbidity and mortality for many congenital heart defects by allowing clinicians the opportunity to optimize prenatal care and plan delivery based on the specific lesion. Changes in prenatal care can include more frequent assessments through the remainder of the pregnancy, maternal medication administration, or, in selected cases, in utero cardiac catheter intervention or surgical procedures to optimize postnatal outcomes. Delivery planning may include changing the location, timing or mode of delivery to ensure that the neonate is delivered in the most appropriate hospital setting with the required level of hospital staff for immediate postnatal stabilization.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on the specific congenital heart defect, prenatal echocardiogram assessment in late gestation can often aid in predicting the severity of postnatal instability and guide the medical or interventional level of care needed for immediate postnatal intervention to optimize the transition to postnatal circulation.

The electrical heart axis in fetuses with congenital heart disease, measured with non-invasive fetal electrocardiography

OBJECTIVES

To determine if the electrical heart axis in different types of congenital heart defects (CHD) differs from that of a healthy cohort at mid-gestation.

METHODS

Non-invasive fetal electrocardiography (NI-fECG) was performed in singleton pregnancies with suspected CHD between 16 and 30 weeks of gestation. The mean electrical heart axis (MEHA) was determined from the fetal vectorcardiogram after correction for fetal orientation. Descriptive statistics were used to determine the MEHA with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) in the frontal plane of all fetuses with CHD and the following subgroups: conotruncal anomalies (CTA), atrioventricular septal defects (AVSD) and hypoplastic right heart syndrome (HRHS). The MEHA of the CHD fetuses as well as the subgroups was compared to the healthy control group using a spherically projected multivariate linear regression analysis. Discriminant analysis was applied to calculate the sensitivity and specificity of the electrical heart axis for CHD detection.

RESULTS

The MEHA was determined in 127 fetuses. The MEHA was 83.0° (95% CI: 6.7°; 159.3°) in the total CHD group, and not significantly different from the control group (122.7° (95% CI: 101.7°; 143.6°). The MEHA was 105.6° (95% CI: 46.8°; 164.4°) in the CTA group (n = 54), -27.4° (95% CI: -118.6°; 63.9°) in the AVSD group (n = 9) and 26.0° (95% CI: -34.1°; 86.1°) in the HRHS group (n = 5). The MEHA of the AVSD and the HRHS subgroups were significantly different from the control group (resp. p = 0.04 and p = 0.02). The sensitivity and specificity of the MEHA for the diagnosis of CHD was 50.6% (95% CI 47.5% - 53.7%) and 60.1% (95% CI 57.1% - 63.1%) respectively.

CONCLUSION

The MEHA alone does not discriminate between healthy fetuses and fetuses with CHD. However, the left-oriented electrical heart axis in fetuses with AVSD and HRHS was significantly different from the control group suggesting altered cardiac conduction along with the structural defect.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Clinical trial registration number: NL48535.015.14.

Trends in the Prenatal Detection of Major Congenital Heart Disease in Alberta From 2008-2018

OBJECTIVE

The effect of expanded obstetrical ultrasound cardiac views on the diagnosis of fetal congenital heart disease (CHD) has not been fully examined at a population level. We hypothesized there has been a significant increase in the prenatal detection of CHD in Alberta, particularly for CHD associated with cardiac outflow tract and 3-vessel view abnormalities.

METHODS

Using provincial databases, we retrospectively identified all fetuses and infants diagnosed between 2008 and 2018 in Alberta with major CHD requiring surgical intervention within the first postnatal year. We evaluated individual lesions and categorized CHDs into the following groups based on the obstetrical ultrasound cardiac views required for detection: (1) 4-chamber view (e.g., hypoplastic left heart syndrome, Ebstein's anomaly, single ventricle); (2) outflow tract view (e.g., tetralogy of Fallot, d-transposition, truncus arteriosus); (3) 3-vessel or other non-standard cardiac views (e.g., coarctation, anomalous pulmonary veins); and (4) isolated ventricular septal defects using any view.

RESULTS

Of 1405 cases of major CHD, 814 (58%) were prenatally diagnosed. Over the study period, prenatal detection increased in all groups, with the greatest increase observed for groups 1 and 2 (75%-88%; P = 0.008 and 56%-79%; P = 0.0002, respectively). Although rates of prenatal detection also increased for groups 3 and 4 (27%-43%; P = 0.007 and 13%-30%; P = 0.04, respectively), fewer than half of the cases in each group were detected prenatally, even in more recent years.

CONCLUSIONS

While rates of prenatal detection of CHD have significantly improved during the past decade, many defects with abnormal 3-vessel and non-standard views, as well as isolated ventricular septal defects, still go undetected.

Use of fetal tele-echo at small regional hospitals increases the rate of prenatal diagnosis of congenital heart disease

BACKGROUND

To improve the rate of prenatal diagnosis of Congenital heart disease (CHD) in Kentucky, four fetal tele-echocardiography sites were established at regional hospitals in Kentucky: Ashland in 2011, Paducah in 2014, Lexington in 2014, and Owensboro in 2016.

METHODS

A 13-year retrospective review of medical records at Norton Children's Hospital was performed to identify patients with CHD who had cardiac surgery or intervention prior to one year of age. The rate of prenatal diagnosis prior to establishing any fetal tele-echocardiography sites was compared to the rate of prenatal diagnosis after the sites were established. Independent t-tests were used to determine if there was a statistically significant increase in the rate of prenatal diagnosis.

RESULTS

1287 patients had cardiac surgery or cath lab intervention prior to one year of age at our institution from June 2005 to December 2018 and were included in the analysis. Seventeen patients were excluded due to incomplete medical records. The rate of prenatal diagnosis prior to the implementation of the first fetal tele-echocardiography site was 13.8% and after the sites were established, the prenatal diagnosis rate was 39.7% (p < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

Increasing the number of fetal tele-echocardiography sites at small regional hospitals in Kentucky was associated with a statistically significant increase in the rate of prenatal diagnosis for patients less than 1 year of age who had cardiac surgery or cath lab intervention at Norton Children's Hospital in Louisville. Fetal tele-echocardiography is an effective method to improve the rate of prenatal diagnosis in regions served by small regional hospitals with limited access to fetal echocardiography.

Artificial intelligence in perinatal diagnosis and management of congenital heart disease

Prenatal diagnosis and management of congenital heart disease (CHD) has progressed substantially in the past few decades. Fetal echocardiography can accurately detect and diagnose approximately 85% of cardiac anomalies. The prenatal diagnosis of CHD results in improved care, with improved risk stratification, perioperative status and survival. However, there is much work to be done. A minority of CHD is actually identified prenatally. This seemingly incongruous gap is due, in part, to diminished recognition of an anomaly even when present in the images and the need for increased training to obtain specialized cardiac views. Artificial intelligence (AI) is a field within computer science that focuses on the development of algorithms that "learn, reason, and self-correct" in a human-like fashion. When applied to fetal echocardiography, AI has the potential to improve image acquisition, image optimization, automated measurements, identification of outliers, classification of diagnoses, and prediction of outcomes. Adoption of AI in the field has been thus far limited by a paucity of data, limited resources to implement new technologies, and legal and ethical concerns. Despite these barriers, recognition of the potential benefits will push us to a future in which AI will become a routine part of clinical practice.

Impact of prenatally diagnosed congenital heart defects on outcomes and management

Fetal echocardiogram aids in prenatal identification of neonates at high risk for congenital heart defects (CHD). Prenatal detection rates for CHD have increased with improved ultrasound technology, the use of the early fetal echocardiography, and standardization of the performance of the fetal echocardiogram. Accurate prenatal detection of CHD, particularly complex CHD, is an important contributor to improved survival rates for patients with CHD. Early detection allows for families to choose whether or not to continue with pregnancy, referral to pediatric cardiology specialists for patient education, and delivery planning. Better psychosocial supports are needed for families with CHD.

Application of machine learning in screening for congenital heart diseases using fetal echocardiography

There is a growing body of literature supporting the utilization of machine learning (ML) to improve diagnosis and prognosis tools of cardiovascular disease. The current study was to investigate the impact that the ML framework may have on the sensitivity of predicting the presence or absence of congenital heart disease (CHD) using fetal echocardiography. A comprehensive fetal echocardiogram including 2D cardiac chamber quantification, valvar assessments, assessment of great vessel morphology, and Doppler-derived blood flow interrogation was recorded. The postnatal echocardiogram was used to ascertain the diagnosis of CHD. A random forest (RF) algorithm with a nested tenfold cross-validation was used to train models for assessing the presence of CHD. The study population was derived from a database of 3910 singleton fetuses with maternal age of 28.8 ± 5.2 years and gestational age at the time of fetal echocardiography of 22.0 weeks (IQR 21-24). The proportion of CHD was 14.1% for the studied cohort confirmed by post-natal echocardiograms. Our proposed RF-based framework provided a sensitivity of 0.85, a specificity of 0.88, a positive predictive value of 0.55 and a negative predictive value of 0.97 to detect the CHD with the mean of mean ROC curves of 0.94 and the mean of mean PR curves of 0.84. Additionally, six first features, including cardiac axis, peak velocity of blood flow across the pulmonic valve, cardiothoracic ratio, pulmonary valvar annulus diameter, right ventricular end-diastolic diameter, and aortic valvar annulus diameter, are essential features that play crucial roles in adding more predictive values to the model in detecting patients with CHD. ML using RF can provide increased sensitivity in prenatal CHD screening with very good performance. The incorporation of ML algorithms into fetal echocardiography may further standardize the assessment for CHD.

The Diagnostic Yield of Fetal Echocardiography Indications in the Current Era

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to examine the diagnostic yield of current fetal echocardiography (FE) indications representing a recent era.

METHODS

FE reports of all pregnancies referred to two provincial FE programs from 2009 to 2018 were examined, identifying the indication for FE (14 categories), gestational age at referral, and whether there was no fetal heart disease (FHD), mild or possible FHD (e.g., simple ventricular septal defect, possible coarctation), or moderate or severe FHD.

RESULTS

Over the study period, there were 19,310 unique FE referrals in Alberta (23.3 ± 5.4 weeks' gestation), including 1,907 (9.9%) with moderate or severe and 654 (3.4%) with mild or possible FHD. The most common referral indications included extracardiac pathology or markers (29.7%), maternal diabetes (18.3%), suspected FHD (17.7%), and family history of heart defects (17.7%). The highest yield for moderate or severe FHD was suspected FHD (41.1%; 95% CI, 39.4%-42.7%), followed by suspected or confirmed genetic disorder (15.4%; 95% CI, 12.6%-18.2%), twins or multiples (10.6%; 95% CI, 8.7%-12.5%), oligohydramnios (8.0%; 95% CI, 4.1%-11.9%), extracardiac pathology or markers (6.4%; 95% CI, 5.8%-7.1%), and heart not well seen (5.8%; 95% CI, 4.0%-7.6%). Lowest yields were observed for maternal diabetes (2.2%; 95% CI, 1.7%-2.7%) and family history of heart defects (1.7%; 95% CI, 1.3%-2.2%). Excluding suspected FHD, with two or more FE indications, all other indications demonstrated significant increases in yield of mild or possible (3.5% vs 1.9%, P < .001) and moderate or severe (7.2% vs 2.9%, P < .001) FHD.

CONCLUSIONS

Suspected FHD provides the highest diagnostic yield of moderate or severe FHD. In contrast, maternal diabetes and family history of heart defects, among the most common referral indications, had diagnostic yields approaching general population risks. Even in the absence of suspected FHD, having two or more referral indications importantly increases the diagnostic yield of all other FE indications.

Clinical utility of fetal echocardiography: an Egyptian center experience

BACKGROUND

The impact of early diagnosis of fetal cardiac abnormalities on the postnatal outcome has been controversial in literature. We aimed to evaluate the role of fetal echocardiography (FE) as a diagnostic tool for early detection and proper management of fetal cardiac abnormalities, study the indications of referral and detect the perinatal outcome in our institution.

RESULTS

This is a cross-sectional observational and descriptive study that included one hundred and one singleton pregnant women (101 fetuses) who were referred for FE over a period of one year. Indications for referral and perinatal risk factors were documented. FE and postnatal transthoracic echocardiography were done. Fetal cardiac abnormalities were detected in 46.5% of cases. Congenital heart defects (CHDs) in 34.6%, fetal arrythmias in 9.9%, cardiomyopathy in 2.9% and cardiac mass (Rhabdomyoma) in 1% (combined structural and rhythm abnormalities were observed in two fetuses). Of the CHDs, complex heart lesions were diagnosed in 57.1%, common atrioventricular canal in 28.6% and conotrunchal anomalies in 14.3%. Of the ten cases with fetal arrythmias, five fetuses had tachyarrhythmias, four had ectopics and one fetus had congenital heart block in association with maternal lupus. The indications for referral were abnormal obstetric ultrasound (52.5%), maternal medical illnesses (23.8%), multiple neonatal deaths (13.9%) and positive family history of CHD (10.9%). The number of fetuses with cardiac abnormalities was significantly higher than those without cardiac abnormalities in mothers not exposed to perinatal risk factors (p = 0.009) and was statistically lower in mothers exposed to perinatal risk factors (p = 0.005). FE showed 100% accuracy in diagnosing complex lesions, common atrio-ventricular canals, cono-truncal anomalies, cardiac masses and fetal arrhythmias. It missed two cases of tiny muscular ventricular septal defects and one case of aortic coarctation. Cases of fetal supraventricular tachycardia were successfully treated in-utero.

CONCLUSIONS

CHDs exist in fetuses with no underlying perinatal risk factors. FE can accurately diagnose most of the cardiac anomalies though few errors remain challenging (aortic coarctation). It also offers a good chance for successful early life-saving management of some types of fetal arrhythmia.

Impacts of prenatal diagnosis of congenital heart diseases on outcomes

Prenatal diagnosis of congenital heart diseases (CHD) is increasingly performed in developed countries. Still, the current impacts of prenatal diagnosis on fetal and neonatal outcomes remains unclear or contradictory. We will review here the different consequences of prenatal screening and of fetal echocardiography on different categories of outcomes. Increasing detection may lead to a reduced birth incidence of severe complex CHD through a high rate of termination of pregnancy but this trend is not universal. Conversely, one of the main impacts of prenatal diagnosis is to optimize perinatal care and to improve hard outcomes such as mortality. Indeed, decrease of neonatal mortality is inconsistently observed in transposition of the great arteries and is not shown in other defects. The reduction of perinatal morbidity is a new end-point to scrutinize but how to examine this impact is controversial in the neonatal period. The influence of the reduction of neonatal distress may modify neurodevelopmental outcomes and quality of survival. The risk stratification after a prenatal diagnosis of CHD helps to optimize the timing, mode, and site of management with the aim to improve outcomes. The anticipated care is tailored according to the type of CHD and expected initial physiology. However, the imprecision of prenatal diagnosis even in expert centers hampers this logical outcome. Prediction of the type of repair is theoretically possible but remains challenging in defects such as double outlet right ventricles or pulmonary atresia with ventricular septal defect. The cost of prenatal diagnosis or of its absence is still a matter of debate and policies have to be tailored to regional health systems. Finally, the impact on parents and siblings is a rarely explored outcome. Screening and echography of fetal heart are currently performed in developed countries but it is still too early to talk about fetal cardiology.

Fetal counseling for congenital heart disease: is communication effective?

PURPOSE

To assess the accuracy of maternal understanding of fetal cardiac defects following initial fetal counseling.

METHODS

Pregnant women with a fetal diagnosis of congenital heart disease (CHD) were surveyed regarding understanding of their fetus's heart defect. The survey asked: (1) for a description of the heart condition; (2) how confident they were in the diagnosis; (3) whether their fetus would require heart surgery. Two fetal cardiologists evaluated the maternal qualitative description. Partners were excluded from the study.

RESULTS

Fifty-one participants consented and 39 completed the survey. Mean age was 31 years, 60% had some college level or post-graduate education, 48% had Medicaid insurance, and 81% were Caucasian. More than three-quarters of participants, stated they had either "quite a bit" or "very much" understanding of their fetus's diagnosis. Maternal assessment matched the physician's assessment of accuracy with 77% (N = 30) demonstrating either "quite a bit" or a "very accurate" description of the diagnosis. All women correctly understood if their fetus would require heart surgery. Highest level of maternal education positively correlated with the accuracy of diagnosis (regression coefficient 0.48, p < .002). However, confidence in the diagnosis was independent of both education (0.30, p = .167) and maternal age (-0.03, p = .234).

CONCLUSIONS

Fetal counseling is effective in conveying anatomy and the need for surgery; however, accuracy amongst women with lower levels of education and maternal confidence in understanding can be improved.

The significance of an integrated management mode of prenatal diagnosis-postnatal treatment for critical congenital heart disease in newborns

Background

Congenital heart disease (CHD) is the most common congenital defect in human beings. The purpose of this article is to investigate impact of an integrated management mode of 'prenatal diagnosis-postnatal treatment' on birth, surgery, prognosis and complications associated with critical CHD (CCHD) in newborns.

Methods

A retrospective analysis of the medical records of newborns diagnosed with CCHD were divided into two groups: prenatal diagnosis and postnatal diagnosis. The demographics, clinical characteristics, surgical status, prognosis and complications of the two groups were compared and the differences identified.

Results

Among the 290 newborns with CCHD, 97 (33.4%) were prenatally diagnosed and 193 (66.6%) were postnatally diagnosed. Newborns in the prenatal diagnostic group were hospitalized immediately after birth, whereas the median age of admission was 6.00 (3.00-12.00) days in postnatal diagnostic group, P=0.000. In terms of postnatal symptoms and signs, the incidence of anhelation, cyanosis and cardiac murmur was higher in the postnatal diagnostic group. The rates of preoperative intubation, postoperative open chest exploration and treatment abandonment were higher in the postnatal diagnostic group. The postnatal diagnostic group was more prone to postoperative complications, such as pneumonia and hypoxic-ischemic brain damage. The preoperative mortality [0 (0.0%) vs. 12 (6.2%), P=0.028] in the prenatal diagnostic group was lower than that in the postnatal diagnostic group. And the one-year survival rate of the prenatal diagnostic group was higher (log-rank test P=0.034).

Conclusions

The integrated management mode of prenatal diagnosis-postnatal treatment can improve postnatal symptoms, reduces complications, reduces preoperative mortality and increases one-year survival rates in newborns with CCHD.

The prognosis of common arterial trunk from a fetal perspective: A prenatal cohort study and systematic literature review

Objective

The limited number of large fetal cohort studies on common arterial trunk (CAT) impedes prenatal counseling at midgestation. This study evaluates the prognosis of CAT from a fetal perspective.

Method

Fetuses with a prenatally diagnosed CAT were extracted from the PRECOR registry (2002–2016). We evaluated fetal and postnatal survival and the presence of additional morbidity at last follow‐up. Literature databases were searches systematically for additional cases.

Results

Thirty‐eight cases with a prenatal diagnosis of CAT were identified in our registry, of which 18/38 (47%) opted for pregnancy termination (TOP). Two cases resulted in spontaneous intrauterine demise (10%, 2/20), six cases demised postnatally (33%, 6/18), leaving 60% (12/20) alive, after exclusion of TOP, at a mean age of six (range: 2–10 years).

Additional morbidity was found in 42% (5/12) of survivors, including 22q11.2 deletion syndrome, Adams‐Oliver syndrome and intestinal atresia, whereas 8% (1/12) had developmental delay. The remaining 30% (6/12) of survivors appeared isolated with normal development. All of whom six required replacement of the initial right ventricle to pulmonary artery conduit. Additionally, we reviewed 197 literature cases on short‐term outcome.

Conclusion

The risk of fetal and neonatal demise, as well as significant morbidity amongst survivors, should be included in prenatal counseling for CAT.

What's already known about this topic?

Postnatal cohort studies have reported generally good postoperative results for common arterial trunk (CAT)

Prenatal counseling relies primarily on these selected cohorts, due to the lack of prenatal follow‐up studies

What does this study add?

A large cohort study evaluating outcome of fetal CAT beyond the neonatal period and with regard to the presence of genetic diagnoses, extracardiac malformations and neurodevelopment

The first systematic literature review on short‐term outcome following a prenatal diagnosis of CAT

Incidence and impact of acute kidney injury in patients with hypoplastic left heart syndrome following the hybrid stage 1 palliation

OBJECTIVE

Acute kidney injury leads to worse outcomes following paediatric cardiac surgery. There is a lack of literature focusing on acute kidney injury after the Hybrid stage 1 palliation for single ventricle physiology. Patients undergoing the Hybrid Stage 1, as a primary option, may have a lower incidence of kidney injury than previously reported. When present, kidney injury may increase the risk of post-operative morbidity and mortality.

METHODS

A retrospective, single centre review was conducted in patients with hypoplastic left heart syndrome who underwent Hybrid Stage 1 from 2008 to 2018. Acute kidney injury was defined as a dichotomous yes (meeting any injury criteria) or no (no injury) utilising two different criteria utilised in paediatrics. The impact of kidney injury on perioperative characteristics and 30-day mortality was analysed.

RESULTS

The incidence of acute kidney injury is 13.4-20.7%, with a severe injury rate of 2.4%. Patients without a prenatal diagnosis of hypoplastic left heart syndrome have a higher incidence of kidney injury than those prenatally diagnosed, (40% versus 14.5%, p = 0.024). Patients with acute kidney injury have a significantly higher incidence of 30-day mortality, 27.3%, compared to without, 5.6% (p = 0.047).

DISCUSSION

The incidence of severe acute kidney injury after the Hybrid Stage 1 palliation is low. A prenatal diagnosis may be associated with a lower incidence of kidney injury following the Hybrid Stage 1. Though uncommon, severe acute kidney injury following Hybrid Stage 1 may be associated with higher 30-day mortality.

Comparison of the 1-year survival rate in infants with congenital heart disease diagnosed by prenatal and postnatal ultrasound: A retrospective study

The impact of prenatal diagnosis on the survival outcome of infants with congenital heart disease (CHD) is still unclear. This study aimed to compare the 1-year survival rate between the prenatally and postnatally diagnosed infants with CHDs.A single-center population-based retrospective cohort study was performed on data from all infants diagnosed with CHD born between January 1998 and December 2017. Among infants with isolated CHDs, the 1-year Kaplan-Meier survival probabilities for prenatal and postnatal diagnosis were estimated. Cox proportional hazard ratios were adjusted for critical CHD (CCHD) status and gestational age.A total of 424 (40 prenatally and 384 postnatally) diagnosed infants with CHDs were analyzed. Compared with non-CCHDs, infants with CCHDs were more likely to be prenatally diagnosed (55.0% vs 18.0%; P < .001). Among the 312 infants with isolated CHDs, the 1-year survival rate for the prenatally diagnosed was significantly lower than postnatally diagnosed (77.1% vs 96.1%; P < .001). For isolated CCHDs, the 1-year survival rate for the prenatally diagnosed was significantly lower than postnatally diagnosed (73.4% vs 90.0%; P < .001). The 1-year survival rate was increased with the increase of age at diagnosis. Among infants with isolated CHDs and CCHDs, the adjusted hazard ratios for 1-year mortality rates for the prenatally versus postnatally diagnosed were 2.554 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.790, 3.654; P < .001) and 2.538 (95% CI: 1.796, 3.699; P < .001), respectively.Prenatal diagnosis is associated with lower 1-year survival rate for infants with isolated CCHDs. This could probably due to variation in the disease severity among the CCHD subtypes.

Antenatal and Perioperative Mechanisms of Global Neurological Injury in Congenital Heart Disease

Congenital heart defects (CHD) is one of the most common types of birth defects. Thanks to advances in surgical techniques and intensive care, the majority of children with severe forms of CHD survive into adulthood. However, this increase in survival comes with a cost. CHD survivors have neurological functioning at the bottom of the normal range. A large spectrum of central nervous system dysmaturation leads to the deficits seen in critical CHD. The heart develops early during gestation, and CHD has a profound effect on fetal brain development for the remainder of gestation. Term infants with critical CHD are born with an immature brain, which is highly susceptible to hypoxic-ischemic injuries. Perioperative blood flow disturbances due to the CHD and the use of cardiopulmonary bypass or circulatory arrest during surgery cause additional neurological injuries. Innate patient factors, such as genetic syndromes and preterm birth, and postoperative complications play a larger role in neurological injury than perioperative factors. Strategies to reduce the disability burden in critical CHD survivors are urgently needed.

Spectrum of postmortem autopsy findings in native and surgically corrected hearts with congenital malformations: a 10-year single-center experience

OBJECTIVES

We reviewed a spectrum of congenital heart defects assessed in our center between 1/2010 and 4/2020, evaluated their gross anatomy, assessed the age distribution, evaluated performed surgical procedures, and correlated gross and ultrasound findings.

METHODS

All necroptic cases and explanted hearts that underwent specialized cardiac autopsy were included in this study. Autopsy findings including gross description of congenital heart defects together with echocardiographic findings were retrospectively assessed. In surgically corrected hearts, the operation records were included as well. All congenital heart defects and surgical procedures were subclassified into main and additional category.

RESULTS

The study included 92 necroptic cases of live-born children, 7 stillbirths, 2 cases of young adults, 50 induced abortions, and 5 explanted hearts, with median age 36 weeks. The most frequently encountered leading congenital heart defects were hypoplastic left heart syndrome, aortic stenosis, septal defects, or persistent arterial trunk. Fifty-one patients underwent surgical repair represented mainly by valvuloplasties, aortoplasty, and procedures leading to univentricular circulation. In the native hearts, 4 postnatal and 16 abortion/stillbirth cases showed discordance between gross and sonographic findings, mainly attributed to missed ventricular septal defect. Gestational age of the discordant group was significantly lower compared to the concordant group (P= .007).

CONCLUSIONS

Autopsy continues to provide essential information about the morphology of congenital heart defects. However, the encountered congenital heart defects were usually complex, often surgically corrected or evaluated as a result of induced abortion or still birth. Cardiac autopsy therefore places high demands on pathologists with regards to proper gross heart assessment. It is also an invaluable part of quality control in prenatal cardiology.

Accuracy of prenatal screening for congenital heart disease in population: A retrospective study in Southern France

Congenital heart diseases (CHDs) are the most common congenital malformations. The objective of our study was to evaluate the prenatal screening accuracy of congenital heart disease (CHD) in Southern France and to evaluate the impact of a prenatal diagnosis on pregnancies outcomes and neonatal outcomes. We performed a bicentric, retrospective observational study in the southern region over 4 years was conducted between 1 January 2014 and 31 December 2017. All foetuses and children under one year of age with CHD monitored in the UTHs (University Teaching Hospitals) in Marseille and Nice were included. CHD cases were divided into 3 groups: group 1, those with no possible options for anatomical repair; group 2, those with anatomical repair possibilities but that may require neonatal cardiologic management; and group 3, those with anatomical repair possibilities that do not require an emergency neonatal procedure. Among the 249070 deliveries during the study period, 677 CHD cases were included in the study. The overall prenatal screening rate was 71.5%. The screening rates were 97.8%, 63.6%, and 65.9% for groups 1, 2 and 3, respectively. Among group 2 CHD cases, 80% of the transpositions of the great arteries, 56% of the aortic coarctations, and 20% of the total anomalous pulmonary venous returns were detected during the prenatal period. A genetic anomaly was found in 16% of CHD cases. The overall mortality rate was 11.3% with a higher death rate in cases of prenatal screening (17.2% versus 2.1%; p < 0.001). However, when focusing only on children who died of CHD, prenatal screening did not create an impact (56.6% versus 100%, p = 0,140). Our data showed that the prenatal screening rate of CHD appears satisfactory in Southern France. Nevertheless, it could be improved for some CHD. This study did not find any benefit in terms of mortality from prenatal screening for CHD.

Trends in Preterm Delivery among Singleton Gestations with Critical Congenital Heart Disease

OBJECTIVE

To examine state-wide population trends in preterm delivery of children with critical congenital heart disease (CHD) over an 18-year period. We hypothesized that, coincident with early advancements in prenatal diagnosis, preterm delivery initially increased compared with the general population, and more recently has decreased.

STUDY DESIGN

Data from the Texas Public Use Data File 1999-2016 was used to evaluate annual percent preterm delivery (<37 weeks) in critical CHD (diagnoses requiring intervention at <1 year of age). We first evaluated for pattern change over time using joinpoint segmented regression. Trends in preterm delivery were then compared with all Texas livebirths. We then compared trends examining sociodemographic covariates including race/ethnicity, sex, and neighborhood poverty levels.

RESULTS

Of 7146 births with critical CHD, 1339 (18.7%) were delivered preterm. The rate of preterm birth increased from 1999 to 2004 (a mean increase of 1.69% per year) then decreased between 2005 and 2016 (a mean decrease of -0.41% per year). This represented a faster increase and then a similar decrease to that noted in the general population. Although the greatest proportion of preterm births occurred in newborns of Hispanic ethnicity and non-Hispanic black race, newborns with higher neighborhood poverty level had the most rapidly increasing rate of preterm delivery in the first era, and only a plateau rather than decrease in the latter era.

CONCLUSIONS

Rates of preterm birth for newborns with critical CHD in Texas first were increasing rapidly, then have been decreasing since 2005.

The Congenital Heart Disease Brain: Prenatal Considerations for Perioperative Neurocritical Care

Altered brain development has been highlighted as an important contributor to adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes in children with congenital heart disease. Abnormalities begin prenatally and include micro- and macrostructural disturbances that lead to an altered trajectory of brain growth throughout gestation. Recent progress in fetal imaging has improved understanding of the neurobiological mechanisms and risk factors for impaired fetal brain development. The impact of the prenatal environment on postnatal neurological care has also gained increased focus. This review summarizes current data on the timing and pattern of altered prenatal brain development in congenital heart disease, the potential mechanisms of these abnormalities, and the association with perioperative neurological complications.

Prenatal diagnosis and pregnancy outcomes of 1492 fetuses with congenital heart disease: role of multidisciplinary-joint consultation in prenatal diagnosis

Early diagnosis of congenital heart disease (CHD) can improve the prognosis of neonates with CHD. We retrospectively evaluated the value of prenatal diagnosis of CHD by comparing the pregnancy outcomes. Prenatal diagnosis of CHD was established by echocardiographic evaluation of fetal heart. Amniotic fluid and/or cord blood genetic examination, pathological anatomy, casting specimen, and/or multidisciplinary-joint consultation (MDJC) were performed. A total of 1492 fetuses with CHD were diagnosed by prenatal echocardiography from 67834 pregnant women. There were 445, 236, 583, and 228 cases in groups A (simple CHD), B (simple CHD plus extra-cardiac abnormality), C (complex CHD), and D (complex CHD plus extra-cardiac abnormality), respectively. The pregnancy continuation rate in the four groups was 98.67%, 85.71%, 67.65%, and 36.84%, respectively (P < 0.001). The pregnancy termination rate for fetal CHD with extra-cardiac abnormalities was significantly higher than that for fetuses with only CHD (81.24% vs. 53.6%, P < 0.05). Prenatal genetic test revealed chromosomal abnormalities in 20.43% of fetuses with CHD. MDJC significantly decreased the pregnancy termination rate. In 88 cases, the original decision to terminate the pregnancy was changed after consultation and the pregnancy was continued. Of these, 87 cases culminated in live births; 65 of these children had better prognosis. Nine-segment sequential segment analysis method for prenatal fetal echocardiography was compared with the results of pathological anatomy, cast specimen, postoperative diagnosis, and postnatal ultrasound. The accuracy of prenatal ultrasound for diagnosis of fetal complex CHD and fetal simple CHD was 90.5–91.66% and 98.6%, respectively. Prenatal ultrasound is still the most effective method for fetal CHD diagnosis.