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Published on: May 5, 2018
Fetal cardiac defects and increased nuchal translucency thickness: a prospective study
Fionnuala M McAuliffe1, Lisa K Hornberger, Stephanie Winsor
1Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Colllege Dublin, National Maternity Hospital, Dublin 7, Ireland. fiannuala.mcauliffe@ucd.ie
Objective:
The purpose of this study was to examine prospectively the association between increased nuchal translucency thickness and major cardiac defects in chromosomally normal fetuses.
Study Design:
A prospective cohort study of 263 chromosomally normal fetuses with an increased nuchal translucency thickness at 11 to 14 weeks of gestation at a tertiary referral center was performed. The incidence of major cardiac defects was examined in relation to the fetal nuchal translucency thickness at the 11 to 14 week ultrasound examination.
Results:
The nuchal translucency thickness measurements ranged from 2.2 to 8.0 mm (median, 3.1 mm). There were 13 cases of major cardiac defects in this cohort, which gave a prevalence of 49.4 of every 1000 fetuses. With the use of the 99th percentile of nuchal translucency thickness, the prevalence rose to 106.7 of every 1000 fetuses.
Conclusion:
In this population of chromosomally normal fetuses with an increased nuchal translucency thickness, the incidence of cardiac defects was high, which suggests that fetal echocardiography is indicated in this group.
