A. Vimercati, P. Greco, G. Balducci, G. Caruso, I. Giuseppe, L. Vera, L. Giuseppe, L. Selvaggi
Experience with first level ultrasound and echocardiography for a selected and an unselected population
Objective: To evaluate the difference in prevalence, distribution
and prenatal detection rate of congenital heart
disease (CHD) in both newborns and second trimester
termination of pregnancy (TOP) in two separate time
periods.
Patients and methods: At the University Hospital of
Bari, an observational study was performed, which included
all cases of CHD in newborns and second
trimester TOP during the periods 1998–99 and
1992–93. Prevalence, distribution and prenatal diagnosis
in each group were evaluated, also selecting cases
with and without known risk factors.
Results: Prevalence of CHD in livebirths and aborted
fetuses did not change between the two periods and the
same was observed for distribution of CHD spectrum.
In the more recent period antenatal detection of CHD
significantly increased only in TOP. Moreover, classifying
all cases as low or high risk, detection rates were significantly
increased in high risk cases while they were
unchanged in the general population.
Conclusion: Our data show that antenatal detection of
CHD is ameliorated by concentrating expertise and
good equipment on high risk cases, while it remains low
in the general
Journal of Perinatal Medicine, Walter de Gruyter
Print ISSN: 1619-3997
Volume: 30, 06/2002
Pages: 231 - 234
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