Fetal CHD and perinatal outcomes

Objective: To evaluate delivery management and outcomes in fetuses prenatally diagnosed with CHD. Study design: A retrospective cohort study was conducted on 6194 fetuses (born between 2013 and 2016), comparing prenatally diagnosed with CHD (170) to those with non-cardiac (234) and no anomalies (5790). Primary outcomes included the incidence of preterm delivery and mode of delivery. Results: Gestational age at delivery was significantly lower between the CHD and non-anomalous cohorts (38.6 and 39.1 weeks, respectively). Neonates with CHD had a significantly lower birth weights (p < 0.001). There was an approximately 1.5-fold increase in the rate of primary cesarean sections associated with prenatally diagnosed CHD with an odds ratio of 1.49 (95% CI 1.06-2.10). Conclusions: Our study provides additional evidence that the prenatal diagnosis of CHD is associated with a lower birth weight, preterm delivery, and with an increased risk of delivery by primary cesarean section.