Birth Weights of Fetuses With Cardiac Anomalies

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Fetuses diagnosed with congenital cardiac defects are suspected to have diminished growth potential. We compared the birth weights of fetuses with cardiac defects with those of a contemporaneous population of normal fetuses. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was conducted of all patients diagnosed with a congenital heart defect from 2004 to 2012. All anomalies were diagnosed by antepartum ultrasonography and echocardiogram and confirmed postnatally. Anomalies were classified as major compared with minor according to the National Birth Defect Prevention Study. Fetuses were excluded if they had aneuploidy or were born earlier than 37 weeks of gestation or later than 42 weeks of gestation. Birth weights were stratified by week of gestation and compared with recently published mean birth weights (Pediatrics 2010;125:e214). Because this reference has derived separate growth curves by fetal sex, which was unavailable in the study data set, study birth weights were compared with both male and female growth curves. RESULTS: Of 266 fetuses with congenital heart defects, 222 (83.5%) were born between 37 and 41 weeks of gestation and of these, 213 (95.9%) had major anomalies. When compared with the normal female growth curve, fetuses with major anomalies showed no difference in mean birth weight. However, when compared with the male growth curve, these patients had a lower mean birth weight at 38 weeks of gestation (3,110±462 g compared with 3,319±527 g, P<.001) and at 39 weeks of gestation (3,242±492 g compared with 3,476±498 g, P<.005). CONCLUSION: This study provided no evidence that fetuses with congenital cardiac anomalies have a clinically relevant diminished growth potential when compared with a contemporaneous heterogeneous population.