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Category: Volume 10, Issue 1,2016
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Congenital heart diseases (CHD) are the most common type of congenital anomalies
and are a leading cause of mortality among children with congenital malformations. The
estimated incidence of CHD is 8/1000 live birth. The aim of this study was to know the
incidence of congenital heart disease among live born babies delivered at Aljala maternity
hospital in Tripoli during 2009 and to compare the outcome of those diagnosed prenatally (via
fetal echocardiography) with those discovered postnatally. The study involved 101 infants
delivered in Aljala maternity hospital during January and December, 2009, who were diagnosed
to have congenital heart defects. The results revealed that the incidence of CHD is 7 per 1000
live births. There is no sex predilection as the M : F ratio is 1.06 : 0.94 and positive family
history of CHD increase the risk by only 2%. Septal lesion (VSD and ASD) found in 34% of the
patients, 57% have mixed type of lesion while 5% have complex heart diseases, the number of
lesion affects the outcomes of patients significantly. Among 101 total patient, 14 patients (14%)
need surgical treatment, 26 patient (26%) received medical treatment, while 61 patients (60%)
just followed up in cardiac clinic. Prenatal diagnosis of CHD is of value in improving
management of patients with congenital cardiac anomalies although the relation between
antenatal diagnosis and outcome, statistically not significant. Depending on the results of this
study, a national screening program for congenital heart disease via the 5- views obstetrical
ultrasound examination of pregnant ladies at 16 - 20 weeks of gestation is recommended (as first
step in prenatal diagnosis) and long term prospective studies are needed to further evaluate the
role of prenatal diagnosis in improving prognosis of patients with congenital heart disease.


Keywords: neonates CHD, congenital malformations, fetal echocardiography,Libya.

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