PRENATAL AND POSTNATAL DIAGNOSIS COMPARISON OF COMPLEX CONGENITAL HEART DISEASE: CASE SERIES AND LITERATURE REVIEW

Abstract

Congenital heart diseases are one of the most commonly diagnosed developmental defects, found in 8–10 out of 1000 live births. Diagnosis of complex congenital heart defects before birth results in lower neonatal morbidity and mortality in the early period. Routine fetal heart defect can be suspected during routine prenatal screening and specified by detailed fetal heart ultrasound examination. Because counseling, treatment options, and fetal prognosis depend on a correct and comprehensive diagnosis, it is essential that the fetal echocardiogram would be as accurate as possible. However, the diagnosis remains complicated due to the different features of the spectrum of prenatal and postnatal defects, difficulties in characterizing complex defects, their progression during pregnancy, concomitant developmental defects and diseases. This article analyzes three clinical cases of neonates hospitalised in Vilnius University Santaros clinics, who were diagnosed with complicated heart defects before birth. We compared the features and differences of prenatal and postnatal diagnosis of complex congenital heart defects. The accuracy of fetal cardiac echoscopy was evaluated and a review of the literature was performed.