Characteristics of fetal conotruncal heart anomalies

Aims: We investigated the clinical characteristics and pregnancy outcomes of conotruncal heart anomalies (CTAs), which constitute a significant part of congenital heart diseases in the prenatal period. Methods: This study analyzed patients with CTA diagnosed between 2015 and 2020. The incidence of tetralogy of Fallot (TOF), transposition of the great arteries (TGA), double outlet right ventricle (DORV), truncus arteriosus (TA), and interrupted aortic arch type B (IAA-B) was identified. The time of diagnosis and accuracy of CTAs, concomitant anomalies (cardiac and extracardiac), and chromosomal disorders observed together were examined. Pregnancy outcomes and neonatal survival rates were evaluated. Results: A total of 396 congenital heart diseases were examined. CTA was diagnosed in 102 (25.8%) of the patients. Ninety-nine patients with available data were analyzed. A total of 33 (33.3%) patients were diagnosed with TOF, 30 (30.3%) with DORV, 16 (16.2%) with TA, 16 (16.2%) with TGA, and 4 (4%) with IIA-B. CTA was an isolated anomaly in 28 (28.3%) of the patients. The other patients had one or more accompanying cardiac/extracardiac anomalies. The prenatal invasive diagnostic was examined in 40 (40.4%) of the patients, and chromosomal anomalies were detected in 16 (40%) of them. In 18 (18.4%) of the patients, pregnancy was terminated at the request of the parents. Intrauterine demise occurred in 4 (4.9%) pregnancies that were not terminated, and neonatal death occurred in 26 (32.1%) of the newborns. Conclusions: The presence of additional cardiac, extracardiac, and genetic abnormalities are common in CTAs and are associated with adverse outcomes. Keywords: Conotruncal heart anomalies, fetal echocardiography, prenatal diagnosis, ultrasonography