What the study found
The study found that 16 of 198 infants, or 8.1%, were diagnosed with congenital heart disease (CHD, a heart defect present from birth). Most of the detected defects were non-critical, and the most common diagnosis was ventricular septal defect.
Why the authors say this matters
The authors conclude that these findings provide context for prenatal counselling and for tailored fetal and neonatal echocardiography screening (ultrasound imaging of the heart before and after birth) in this high-risk population.
What the researchers tested
The researchers did a single-centre retrospective review of patients with CHD who received prenatal care at a multidisciplinary Cardio-Obstetrics clinic at a southeastern U.S. academic medical centre from 2015 to 2023. They excluded patients with acquired heart disease, syndromic or inherited CHD, and deliveries at outside hospitals with missing delivery data. The main outcome was infant CHD confirmed by postnatal echocardiography.
What worked and what didn't
CHD was confirmed in 16 infants. Among the affected infants, none needed early in-hospital cardiac surgery, and one died in hospital; that infant also had severe extracardiac anomalies concerning an underlying genetic syndrome. Secondary outcomes included neonatal intensive care unit admission, early in-hospital cardiac surgery, and in-hospital infant mortality.
What to keep in mind
This was a retrospective, single-centre study, so the findings reflect one clinical setting. The abstract does not provide additional limitations beyond the exclusions described in the methods.
Key points
- CHD was diagnosed in 16 of 198 infants born to mothers with CHD.
- The CHD incidence in this cohort was 8.1%.
- The most common defect reported was ventricular septal defect.
- No affected infants required early in-hospital cardiac surgery.
- One infant died in hospital, and that infant had severe extracardiac anomalies concerning a genetic syndrome.
Disclosure
- Research title:
- Offspring of mothers with CHD had higher CHD incidence
- Authors:
- Syed Hyder, Jack Earl Simmons, J. Emerson Scheinuk, Rachel G Sinkey, Marc Cribbs
- Institutions:
- University of Alabama at Birmingham, University of Alabama at Birmingham, University of Alabama at Birmingham, University of Alabama at Birmingham, University of Alabama at Birmingham, University of Alabama System, University of Alabama System, University of Alabama System, University of Alabama System, University of Alabama System
- Publication date:
- 2026-02-01
- OpenAlex record:
- View
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