Journal article
Prenatal Diagnosis of Congenital Heart Disease in Liveborn Infants in the New England Region
Pediatric cardiology, v 47(1), pp 383-387
01 Jan 2026
PMID: 39849107
Abstract
Prenatal diagnosis of congenital heart disease requiring early cardiac catheterization or surgical intervention enables optimal delivery planning for appropriate postnatal cardiovascular intervention and care. This allows for improved morbidity and mortality. Prior national data reported prenatal diagnosis rates of 32% for congenital heart disease requiring intervention in infants in the first 6 months of life in the New England region. With improved technology, access to care and changes to the obstetrical ultrasound guidelines for mid trimester fetal study, it is expected that diagnostic rates should improve. The New England Congenital Cardiology Association (NECCA) conducted a quality improvement study to determine the rates of prenatal detection in the current era with the hypothesis that there has been improvement in detection rates in this region. Ten of fourteen medical centers delivering pediatric cardiology care in New England contributed prenatal diagnosis data for 286 infants born at the participating centers during a one year period. The overall prenatal detection rate was 68%. Detection rates ranged from 39 to 90%. When fetal echocardiogram was performed at a pediatric cardiology center, the detection rate was 95% with only 7 moderate (7/195; 3.6%) and 3 severe (3/195; 1.5%) diagnostic discrepancies. Prenatal diagnostic rate and accuracy are high among pediatric cardiology centers in the New England region, and much improved over historical data. To improve fetal detection of congenital heart disease further, future work is needed to better determine the etiology of missed prenatal diagnoses and efforts should be focused on increasing appropriate referrals to pediatric cardiology centers for fetal evaluation.
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Details
- Title
- Prenatal Diagnosis of Congenital Heart Disease in Liveborn Infants in the New England Region
- Creators
- Caitlin S Haxel (Corresponding Author) - University of VermontAlicia Wang - Connecticut Children's Medical CenterJami C Levine - Boston Children's HospitalNancy Drucker - University of VermontMichael R Hart - Maine Medical CenterJenifer A Glatz - Dartmouth CollegeDina Ferdman - Yale UniversityRuchika Karnik - Yale UniversityAnna Tsirka - St. Christopher's Hospital for ChildrenPuneeta Arya - Massachusetts General HospitalMeaghan Doherty - University of Massachusetts Chan Medical SchoolKristin Laraja - University of Massachusetts Chan Medical SchoolSean Hagenbuch - Eastern Maine Medical CenterKathleen M Rotondo - Hasbro Children's Hospital
- Publication Details
- Pediatric cardiology, v 47(1), pp 383-387
- Publisher
- Springer Nature
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Pediatrics
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:001403316800001
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-85217212096
- Other Identifier
- 991022196567404721
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
- Pediatrics