Prevalence of Congenital Heart Defects in Newborns of Mother with Hypertension (Pre-eclampsia)
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Abstract
Background: Congenital heart disease (CHD) is a significant cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality. Preeclampsia (PE), a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy, is associated with an increased risk of adverse fetal outcomes, including CHD. Understanding the prevalence of CHD in neonates born to PE mothers is essential for early diagnosis and intervention.
Objective: To determine the prevalence of CHD in neonates born to preeclamptic mothers compared to those born to normotensive mothers and evaluate the relationship between maternal PE and neonatal cardiac structural abnormalities.
Methods: This hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted at Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, AMU, Aligarh, from 2022 to 2024. A total of 60 neonates were included: 30 born to PE mothers (study group) and 30 born to normotensive mothers (control group). 2D echocardiography was used to screen all neonates for CHD. Maternal and neonatal baseline characteristics were recorded. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS software (version 20.0), with a p-value of <0.05 considered significant.
Results: The prevalence of CHD was significantly higher in the study group (30%) compared to the control group (16.67%), indicating a 1.8-fold increase in risk. Baseline maternal characteristics revealed older maternal age and earlier gestational age at delivery in the PE group. Neonates born to PE mothers also demonstrated a higher prevalence of low birth weight. The 2D echocardiography findings revealed no significant difference in the types of CHD between the two groups, but a higher overall prevalence was noted in the PE group.
Conclusion: The study highlights a significant association between maternal preeclampsia and the increased prevalence of CHD in neonates. Routine fetal echocardiography during antenatal care, particularly in pregnancies complicated by PE, is recommended for early detection and management of CHD. Larger, longitudinal studies are needed to further explore these findings.
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