More Prenatal Visits Allow Newborns With Mild Heart Defects To Receive The Right Level Of Care

In cases of mild congenital bosom defects, much prenatal visits are associated pinch greater likelihood of due transportation astatine a organization hospital, according to a study published successful JAMA Network Open. Results propose that much prenatal attraction is beneficial for families and whitethorn let their newborns pinch mild bosom defects to person nan correct level of attraction person to home, arsenic opposed to walking to a location cardiac surgical center, which tin beryllium expensive, taxing and stressful for families.

Congenital bosom defects are nan astir communal and resource-intensive commencement defects successful nan United States. Infants pinch nan astir analyzable bosom defects are usually directed to location cardiac surgical centers, while babies pinch mild bosom defects tin safely person nan correct attraction astatine a organization hospital.

Our findings underscore nan value of prenatal attraction successful driving nan utilization of due attraction for newborns pinch bosom defects. One prenatal sojourn is usually not enough, since fetal bosom illness tin alteration complete nan long of pregnancy. It tin perchance go little terrible than initially suspected. If nan newborn does not request room correct away, past remaining person to location for transportation tin beryllium nan correct decision. Many families mightiness for illustration that. Risk-appropriate attraction benefits nan wide healthcare strategy too."

Joyce Woo, MD, MS, elder author, pediatric cardiologist astatine Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago and Assistant Professor of Pediatrics and Medical Social Sciences astatine Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine

In nan study, Dr. Woo and colleagues utilized a statewide administrative database to analyse information connected 12,113 babies calved pinch bosom defects successful Illinois betwixt 2013-2021. They aimed to estimate really 2 components of prenatal attraction adequacy – initiation of attraction and wave of visits – are related to transportation location for neonates pinch congenital bosom defects.

They recovered that delayed prenatal attraction initiation was associated pinch accrued likelihood of transportation astatine a cardiac surgical halfway compared to nary prenatal care, sloppy of nan severity of nan bosom defect. But for babies pinch mild congenital bosom defects, much prenatal visits were associated pinch a 7 percentage-point alteration successful probability of transportation astatine a cardiac surgical center.

"Caring for children pinch bosom defects originates earlier birth. Prenatal attraction ensures that babies pinch congenital bosom defects are calved astatine nan correct location pinch nan due strength of attraction based connected their objective needs. It besides allows for information for their family's preferences for transportation location," said Dr. Woo. "Our findings tin besides thief pass statewide policies connected perinatal assets allocation."

This study will beryllium presented astatine nan American Heart Association Scientific Sessions connected November 9, 2025.

Dr. Woo receives net support from nan National Institutes of Health (NIH/NHLBI K01HL171819).