Original Article
English
Hanifa Alrabte 1, Mahamed Sultan 2, Namat Abied 2, Mahamed Dekna 1
1-Department of Paediatric Cardiology, Tripoli Children’s Hospital 2-Department of Antenatalcare at Al- Jala Maternity Hospital Tripoli, Libya
JMJ 2009,Vol.9, No.2: 102-104
Abstract
Background: The incidence of Congenital Heart Diseases (CHD) is eight per 1000 live births and two to three folds more in infants of diabetic mothers (IDM). Aims of the study: To determine the importance of foetal echocardiography in diagnosis of CHD during pregnancy. Methods: The foetuses of pregnant ladies with diabetes mellitus (DM) (n = 111) were examined with echocardiography during pregnancy and after delivery. The sensitivity and specificity of our echocardiography evaluation during pregnancy and after delivery for diagnosis of CHD were determined. Results: Out of 111 pregnant women with diabetes mellitus (DM), 14 (12.6%) foetuses were diagnosed to have CHD during pregnancy while 31 (27.9%) cases were diagnosed after delivery, of which 10 cases had patent foramen ovale, 6 cases ASD and both were excluded as these pathologies cannot be diagnosed antenatally. The overall sensitivity and specificity of foetal echocardiography for the diagnosis of CHD are 93.5% and 99.4% respectively. 45% of patients were born to mothers suffering from noninsulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM). Conclusion: Echocardiography evaluation during pregnancy is indicated in high risk pregnancies such as (DM). It is a highly sensitive and specific method for diagnosis of CHD antenatally, which is very important step in decision making regarding where and when to carry out the delivery.
Keywords: Congenital heart diseases, Infant of diabetic mothers, Foetal echocardiography.
Link/DOI: http://www.jmj.org.ly/PDF/summer2009/102.pdf