Perinatal management of stenosis or premature closure of ductus arteriosus in three fetuses / 中华围产医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To summarize the features of stenosis or premature closure of fetal ductus arteriosus and to investigate the perinatal management strategies.Methods:Three cases diagnosed with stenosis or premature closure of fetal ductus arteriosus in Peking University First Hospital between January 2022 and June 2022 were retrospectively enrolled. Clinical features and perinatal management strategies were summarized.Results:Fetal cardiac abnormalities (right heart enlargement and tricuspid regurgitation) were detected in the three cases by routine prenatal ultrasound at the gestational weeks of 24, 30 and 23, respectively. Fetal echocardiography confirmed the diagnosis of stenosis or premature closure of fetal ductus arteriosus and no other structural anomalies were detected. All three pregnant women denied taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Case 1 and case 2 underwent emergency cesarean section due to suspected fetal cardiac dysfunction with a cardiovascular profile score of 6 and 5. The two neonates were transferred to the neonatal intensive care unit and discharged with good prognosis (normal cardiac function) on the 56th and 42nd day after birth. During a close monitoring, the stenosis of fetal ductus arteriosus improved in case 3 and a full-term neonate was delivered at 38 weeks by elective cesarean section because of a history of cesarean section.Conclusions:In the second and third trimesters of pregnancy, attention should be drawn to the fetal ductus arteriosus during ultrasound imaging, especially when right heart enlargement and tricuspid regurgitation were detected. For fetuses with suspected ductus arteriosus stenosis, a close monitor of the ductus arteriosus and the ultrasound findings indicating cardiac dysfunction is needed and the cardiovascular profile score should also be involved. Fetuses with premature closure of the ductus arteriosus should be delivered promptly and the postnatal cardiac outcomes are good.