ABSTRACT
Purpose@#We assessed prenatal detection rates of congenital heart disease (CHD) and associations between maternal serum biomarkers and non-chromosomal CHD in singleton pregnancies. @*Materials and Methods@#This study was conducted as a secondary analysis of data obtained during a multicenter prospective cohort study that investigated the cost-effectiveness of prenatal testing for fetal aneuploidy. We analyzed the prenatal detection rate and accuracy for CHD screening via ultrasound during the second trimester, as well as associations between serum biomarkers and CHDs, in singleton newborns without chromosomal abnormalities. @*Results@#Among 6715 women, 142 (2.1%) newborns were born with CHDs, of which 67 (1.0%) newborns had major CHDs. The prenatal detection rate for all CHDs and major CHDs were 34.5% and 58.2%, respectively. After excluding isolated ventricular septal defects, the detection rate for critical CHDs was 85.9%. Women with low pregnancy-associated plasma protein A (PAPP-A) (<0.4 multiples of the median, MOM) face increased risks of non-chromosomal CHDs [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 2.76; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.36–5.13] and major CHDs (aOR 7.30; 95% CI 3.18–15.59), compared to those without CHDs. A higher inhibin A level (≥2.5 MOM; aOR 4.84; 95% CI 1.42–12.46) was associated with non-chromosomal major CHDs. @*Conclusion@#Ultrasonography performed during the second trimester by obstetricians detected over 85% of critical CHDs. Low maternal serum PAPP-A or high inhibin-A was associated with non-chromosomal CHDs. These results may contribute to an improvement in prenatal diagnosis of CHDs.
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate fetal ultrasonographic findings in cases of prenatally diagnosed de novo balanced translocations and the role of fetal ultrasound in prenatal genetic counseling. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We collected cases with de novo balanced translocations that were confirmed in chorionic villus sampling, amniocentesis, and cordocentesis between 1995 and 2016. A detailed, high-resolution ultrasonography was performed for prediction of prognosis. Chromosomes from the parents of affected fetuses were also analyzed to determine whether the balanced translocations were de novo or inherited. RESULTS: Among 32,070 cases with prenatal cytogenetic analysis, 27 cases (1/1,188 incidence) with de novo balanced translocations were identified. Fourteen cases (51.9%) showed abnormal findings, and the frequency of major structural anomalies was 11.1%. Excluding the major structural anomalies, all mothers who continued pregnancies delivered healthy babies. CONCLUSION: Results of a detailed, high-resolution ultrasound examination are very important in genetic counseling for prenatally diagnosed de novo balanced translocations.