Impact of cardiac anomalies
- 15 % of abortions are due to cardiac anomalies.
- Incidence of aneuploidy is 20 % in C A
- 20 % of neonatal deaths due to malformations are due to CA.
- 50 % of infant deaths due to malformations are due to CA.
Why is cardiac evaluation mandatory ?
- Cardiac anomalies are commonest anomalies ( 1/3rd ) found at birth.
- Prevalence is 5 in 1000 live births.
- Many of these have good prognosis, if they are detected antenatally and can be treated immediately after birth.
“Only 30 % of cardiac anomalies are detected in high risk group, where as 70 % are detected in the low risk group.” — Asim Kurjak. - Screening is Must at 18 – 22 weeks.
This makes fetal echocardiography absolutely mandatory.
Efficacy of fetal echocardiography
- 4 Chamber view diagnoses 45 % of cardiac anomalies.
- The outflow tracts diagnose another 25 %.
- Approximately 30 % are still missed.
- USG sensitivity for cardiac anomalies is > 90%, with specificity of almost 100% with STIC.
