Analysis of the patients diagnosed as hypoplastic left heart syndrome at prenatal period

Objective: The aim of this study was to analyze patients together with their demographic data who are diagnosed with hypoplastic left heart syndrome at intrauterine period. Methods: In this study, 29 pregnant women who were referred from other centers to or followed-up in the Divisions of Perinatology of Ankara and Adana hospitals of Baflkent University between June 2009 and February 2013 were analyzed in terms of their demographic data, diagnosis weeks, concomitant anomalies and the progress of their pregnancies. Results: Among these cases, there was only one twin pregnancy. Three pregnancies were obtained by assisted reproductive technology (10.3%). When concomitant anomalies were analyzed, additional cardiac anomaly was found as 27.6% (8/29), hydrops as 13.4% (4/29) and single umbilical artery as 10% (2/29). Ten patients (34%) who were diagnosed in our hospital between 18 and 22 weeks of gestation preferred termination. Other patients were just referred to our hospital for delivery by being diagnosed at late period. While 4 (13.7%) of these babies could be in a condition to be operated after delivery, one of two surviving patients waited for second operation and the other one waited for third operation. Conclusion: In hypoplastic left heart syndrome, to be able to have an operation and chance to survive after delivery seems still low in our country. Early prenatal diagnosis is significant in terms of proper briefing family and the decision for termination.