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Published on: March 10, 2020
Incidence of congenital heart disease in Beijing, China
Xue-yong Yang1, Xiao-feng Li, Xiao-dong Lü
1Department of Surgery, Pediatric Cardiac Center, Cardiovascular Institute and Fu Wai Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
Insights
Congenital heart disease incidence in Beijing live births is 6.7/1000, comparable to developed nations. Fetal echocardiography significantly reduced liveborn congenital heart disease rates.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Pediatrics
- Public Health
Background:
- Congenital heart disease (CHD) incidence is well-documented globally but understudied in mainland China.
- Fetal echocardiographic screening for CHD began in Beijing in the early 2000s, yet its impact remained unclear.
- This study aimed to determine CHD incidence in Beijing and assess fetal echocardiography's effect on liveborn CHD rates.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the incidence of congenital heart disease (CHD) in Beijing, China.
- To evaluate the impact of fetal echocardiography on the incidence of liveborn CHD.
Main Methods:
- A population-based study of 84,062 births in Beijing from January 1 to December 31, 2007.
- Infants suspected of CHD underwent echocardiographic examination, either prenatally or postnatally.
- Incidence rates were calculated for total births, stillbirths, and live births.
Main Results:
- A total of 686 infants had CHD, yielding an overall incidence of 8.2/1000 total births.
- The incidence of CHD in live births was 6.7/1000, significantly lower than in stillbirths (168.8/1000).
- Prenatal diagnosis led to pregnancy termination in 128 of 151 cases.
Conclusions:
- The incidence of liveborn congenital heart disease in Beijing aligns with rates reported in developed countries.
- Fetal echocardiography significantly reduces the incidence of liveborn congenital heart disease.
- This highlights the effectiveness of prenatal screening in managing CHD prevalence.
Background:
The incidence of congenital heart disease has been studied in developed countries for many years, but rarely in the mainland of China. Fetal echocardiographic screening for congenital heart disease was first performed in Beijing in the early 2000s, but the impact was not clear. The current study was undertaken to determine the incidence of congenital heart disease in Beijing, China and to estimate the impact of fetal echocardiography on the incidence of liveborn congenital heart disease.
Methods:
The study involved all infants with congenital heart disease among the 84 062 total births in Beijing during the period of January 1 and December 31, 2007. An echocardiographic examination was performed on every baby suspected to have congenital heart disease, prenatally or/and postnatally.
Results:
A total of 686 infants were shown to have congenital heart disease among 84 062 total births. The overall incidence was 8.2/1000 total births. Mothers of 128 of 151 babies diagnosed prenatally were chosen to terminate the pregnancy. Two of the 151 infants died in utero. A specific lesion was identified for each infant and the frequencies of lesions were determined for each class of infants (total births, stillbirths and live births). The incidence of congenital heart disease in stillbirths and live births was 168.8/1000 and 6.7/1000, respectively. The difference between the incidence of total birth and the incidence of live birth was statistically significant (P < 0.001).
Conclusions:
The incidence of liveborn congenital heart disease in Beijing is within the range reported in developed countries. Fetal echocardiography reduce significantly the incidence of liveborn congenital heart disease.
