The Prevalence of Congenital Heart Diseases and Associated Risk Factors among Neonates Admitted to the NICU of Shahid Sadoughi Hospital, Yazd, Iran from 2022 to 2023: A Cross-Sectional Study

Nima  Nikbin-Kavishahi; Mahmood Noorishadkam; Sedigheh Ekraminasab; Mahta Mazaheri

doi:10.18502/wjpn.v6i2.15490

Nima Nikbin-Kavishahi Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
Mahmood Noorishadkam Mother and Newborn Health Research Center, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
Sedigheh Ekraminasab Mother and Newborn Health Research Center, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
Mahta Mazaheri Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/wjpn.v6i2.15490

Keywords: Newborn; Congenital; Heart defects; Risk factors; Prevalence; Echocardiography

Abstract

Background: Congenital heart defects (CHDs) are among the most prevalent congenital defects observed in neonates, leading to structural and functional abnormalities in the heart. This research examines the prevalence of CHDs and its various subcategories among neonates admitted at Shahid Sadoughi Hospital in Yazd, Iran, from 2022 to 2023. The study also aims to assess the presence of risk factors among infants diagnosed with CHDs.

Methods: This is a descriptive cross-sectional study, encompassing all neonates diagnosed with CHDs. Echocardiography was conducted to classify the specific type of CHDs, and a questionnaire was administered to the parents of neonates with CHDs to identify potential risk factors.

Results: Out of 1149 newborns admitted to the hospital in one year, 29 (2.52%) were diagnosed with CHDs, and 9 of them died from the condition. The prevalence of CHDs and the mortality rate were 2.5% and 0.78%, respectively. The most common defect was atrial septal defect (ASD), affecting 19 newborns (65.5% of cases), and 15 newborns exhibited multiple defects within the subtypes of CHDs.

Conclusion: Our research reveals that the incidence of CHDs among newborns in our area was 2.52%, with a mortality rate of 0.78% within a one-year timeframe. More than half of CHD cases were found in offspring of consanguineous unions, suggesting a potential risk factor within the Yazd community, likely linked to the prevalent custom of consanguineous marriages in the region.