Placenta previa and congenital cardiac anomalies

This study was designed to evaluate the association of placenta previa (PP) with cardiac anomalies in the fetus/neonate. The study group (n = 82 babies) was compared to a control group (n = 82) matched for maternal and gestational age. Five babies of the study group expired within 24 h of delivery, and postmortem examination was carried out in 4 of them. The living children of the control and study group (51 of the 77 babies) underwent complete cardiac workup including physical examination, ECG, chest X-ray and echocardiography. The incidence of congenital cardiac anomalies in the study group was significantly higher (Fisher exact test, p = 0.025). The obstetrician should refer the pregnant woman with PP for echocardiographic studies.