Fetal Cardiac Anomalies at Anomaly Scan: Detection and Pregnancy Outcomes - Assiut 2026

Overview

Congenital heart defects are among the most common congenital anomalies and cause significant perinatal morbidity and mortality. Prenatal detection allows counseling, multidisciplinary planning and optimization of delivery. This prospective observational cohort study will screen all pregnant women attending the Fetomaternal Unit, Women's Health Hospital, Assiut University for anomaly scan at 18+0 to 22+6 weeks gestation over 12 months. All cases with suspected or detected fetal cardiac anomalies will be consecutively recruited and followed antenatally until delivery and postnatally when possible. Primary outcome is frequency of fetal cardiac anomalies among screened fetuses. Secondary outcomes include frequency of each type of anomaly, NICU admission, need for neonatal cardiac surgery or intervention, and neonatal death. Data will be analyzed using SPSS with descriptive statistics and chi-square or Fisher exact test and t-test or Mann-Whitney as appropriate. P less than 0.05 is considered significant.

All eligible pregnant women attending the Fetomaternal Unit for second-trimester anomaly scanning will undergo standardized fetal anatomical and cardiac assessment including situs, cardiac position and axis, four-chamber view, outflow tracts, three-vessel view, three-vessel-trachea view when possible, and cardiac rhythm. Cases with suspected cardiac anomalies will undergo detailed documentation and fetal echocardiography when clinically indicated according to routine practice. They will be counseled and followed with assessment of fetal growth, cardiac function, hydrops and progression. Pregnancy outcomes including gestational age at delivery, mode of delivery, birth weight, Apgar scores, NICU admission, neonatal cardiac intervention and survival will be collected. Postnatal echocardiography will be recorded when available to confirm antenatal diagnosis. The study involves no experimental intervention.

Conditions