[Congenital heart malformations is twin pregnancies]

Abstract

Introduction: In twin pregnancies the risk for congenital heart malformation is higher than in singular pregnancies. Because of the development of prenatal diagnostic methods, it is possible to recognise congenital malformations. In point of view of congenital cardiac malformations the twin pregnancies belong to high risk group.

Aim: To found connection between congenital heart malformations and twin pregnancies.

Material and method: Retrospective analysis of data of Fetal Cardiology database between 1. january 1966 and 30. november 2003.

Results: In singular pregnancies 455, and in twin pregnancies 31 severe congenital heart malformations were diagnosed prenatally. It means, that congenital heart malformations were diagnosed prenatally in 2% of singular pregnancies and in 4,6% of twin pregnancies. In monozygotic twin pregnancies in 36% of heart malformations were pulmonary stenosis and in 45% endocardial fibroelastosis. In dizygotic twin pregnancies Ebstein malformation was more common than it statistically expected. In dichorial and dizygotic twin pregnancies the cardiac malformations were similar to in singular pregnancies.

Conclusions: In twin pregnancies the rate of congenital heart malformations is higher than in singular pregnancies, that's why the twin pregnancy is indication for fetal echocardiography. In monochorial twin pregnancies different types of congenital heart malformations are expected than in singular or dichorial twin pregnancies, the chorionicity seems more important than the zygosity.