Pregnancy complications in fetal congenital heart disease: a result of common early developmental pathways rather Than fetal hemodynamics

Abstract

ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to compare placenta-related complications (adverse placental syndrome) between different types of fetal CHD based on cardiac hemodynamics.MethodAll CHD cases diagnosed prenatally by fetal ECHO during 2009-2023 were selected. Exclusion criteria were as follows: multiple pregnancies, pregnancy termination, known genetic aberrations, and extracardiac anomalies. Cases were categorized into 6 groups based on theorized hemodynamic factors. Reference values for fetal growth restriction (FGR), preeclampsia (PE), pregnancy induced hypertension (PIH), and intra uterine fetal demise (IUFD) from the overall Dutch and/or European population were used.ResultsAfter exclusion, 1293 cases were available for analysis. The incidence of FGR was 198/1247 (15.9%). There was a significant difference in FGR between the groups of CHD (p = 0.002) though it could not be correlated with aortic flow and oxygenation. There was a high incidence of PE (64/1282, 5.0%), PIH (43/1284, 3.3%), and IUFD (33/1291, 2.6%) in our cohort as compared to reference values. Nonetheless, there were no differences in PE, PIH, and IUFD between the different CHD groups.ConclusionA high incidence of adverse placental syndrome was found though this could not be related to fetal hemodynamics. Even in CHDs without hemodynamic changes, a high incidence of these complications was found. This might be a clinical manifestation of early embryological developmental pathways that affect both the placenta and the fetal heart.