Prevalence of Congenital Heart Diseases in Neonates of Diabetic Mothers: A Cross Sectional Study in Yazd

Maternal hyperglycemia is a critical risk factor for congenital heart diseases (CHD). Despite advancements in the medical management of diabetic mothers, the CHD in their infants are still more recurring compared to infants of the general population. The primary purpose of this investigation was to explore the prevalence of CHD in infants of diabetic mothers (IDMs). The study was also aimed at investigating possible associations between the types of maternal diabetes with the incidence of CHD in IDMs especially the status of diabetic control.

This cross-sectional study was performed between October 2016 and September 2017, in a Heart Center in Yazd. The cases were comprised of 150 neonates of mothers with diabetes. We determined CHD via fetal echocardiography during the first day of childbirth and estimated the prevalence of CHD in IDMs and its association to control status of diabetes in mothers.

The prevalence of CHD in IDMs was 12.7%. The results showed that there was a significant relationship between maternal uncontrolled diabetes and a high incidence of CHD in IDMs (P ≤ 0.0001), but there was no association between the type of diabetes and the incidence of HCM.

We concluded that controlling maternal diabetes has the greatest effect on the prevention of CHD in neonates. The prevalence of CHD in IDMs was 12.7% which is high that may be due to poor control of diabetes in pregnant women in Iran. Also, neonates of diabetic mothers need more cardiac evaluation tests and follow-ups. Therefore, more studies on the effects of maternal diabetes-induced CHD in neonates are needed.