Fetal cardiac arrhythmia. Clinical outcome in 113 cases.
In 113 cases of fetal cardiac arrhythmia, i.e. 94 with supraventricular arrhythmia, 5 with atrioventricular block and 14 with ventricular arrhythmia, the clinical outcome was studied and compared with the general pregnant population. The arrhythmia group was afflicted with a significantly increased frequency of congenital malformations, 6.2% vs. 2.0%; fetal distress in labor, 20.4% vs. 13.5%; perinatal mortality, 3.5% vs. 0.7%; and neonatal mortality, 1.8% vs. 0.1%. In 4 cases, pharmacological cardiac treatment was needed in utero due to fetal heart failure. Fetuses with cardiac arrhythmia thus constitute an obstetric and pediatric high-risk group that should be subjected to an intensified supervision to detect fetal heart failure or fetal distress. When indicated, these complications can be treated in utero.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000175:diagnosis*; D000013:Congenital Abnormalities / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005313:Fetal Death / Q000209:etiology; D005315:Fetal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005316:Fetal Distress / Q000209:etiology; D006327:Heart Block / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D007226:Infant Mortality; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D011247:Pregnancy; D011379:Prognosis; D012306:Risk