Kentaro Mori^1,*, Kotaro Kitaya², Tomomoto Ishikawa², Yutaka Hata³

Intelligent Automation & Soft Computing, Vol.29, No.2, pp. 335-352, 2021, DOI:10.32604/iasc.2021.01010

Abstract In infertility treatment, it is required to improve a success rate of the treatment. A purpose of this study is to develop a prediction system for pregnancy outcomes using ultrasonic images. In infertility treatment, it is typical to evaluate the endometrial shape by using ultrasonic images. The convolutional neural network (CNN) system developed in the current study predicted pregnancy outcome by velocity information. The velocity information has a movement feature of uterine. It is known that a uterine movement is deep related to infertility. Experiments compared the velocity-based and shape-based systems. The shape-based systems predict the optimal uterine features for… More >

Jadranka Separovic Hanzevacki¹, Marija Brestovac^1,*, Vlatka Reskovic Luksic¹, Blanka Glavas Konja¹, Martina Lovric Bencic¹, Josko Bulum¹, Darko Anic²

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.16, No.5, pp. 469-475, 2021, DOI:10.32604/CHD.2021.015237

Abstract Patients with complete transposition of the great arteries (TGA) treated by the Senning procedure have a higher risk of developing heart failure due to: a) additional work load of the systemic (morphologic right) ventricle (sRV), b) arrhythmias, mainly caused by surgical implications at the atria as well as c) worsening of systemic tricuspid regurgitation. We present a unique case of a female patient who developed all these complications, who was successfully treated and was able to carry out a twin pregnancy. This breakthrough approach was based on: 1. detecting reversibility potential of myocardial systolic dysfunction in a severe valvular lesion… More >

Sara Moufarrij¹, Manisha Gandhi¹, Wilson Lam², Angeline Opina^2,*

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.16, No.2, pp. 137-139, 2021, DOI:10.32604/CHD.2021.013165

Abstract A 23-year-old female with Tetralogy of Fallot who is 30w6d pregnant presented with palpitations and syncope from an outside hospital. She was found to have ventricular tachycardia. Successful placement of a transvenous implantable cardiac defibrillator allowed for symptomatic control and a subsequent successful vaginal delivery. More >

Tânia Branco Mano^1,*, João Ferreira Reis¹, Ana Figueiredo Agapito¹, André Monteiro¹, Mário Oliveira¹, Luísa Moura Branco¹, José Fragata², Fátima Pinto³, Rui Cruz Ferreira¹, Lídia de Sousa¹

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.15, No.3, pp. 153-162, 2020, DOI:10.32604/CHD.2020.011500

Abstract Introduction: Due to the low prevalence and wide variation of severity of Ebstein’s Anomaly (EA), long-term follow-up data are scarce. The aim was to evaluate the long-term outcome of an adult population with EA. Methods: Retrospective analysis of EA adults followed in the past 42 years in a tertiary congenital heart disease outpatient clinic. Predictors of complications and mortality were assessed. Results: We studied 53 patients: 53% females, mean age 46 ± 19 years, 36% cyanotic, 55% diagnosed at adult age. Tricuspid regurgitation was moderate or severe in 33% and 46%, respectively, and during follow-up (mean 12 ± 10… More >

Katherine Smith, Bernard Gros

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.12, No.3, pp. 251-260, 2017, DOI:10.1111/chd.12465

Abstract A well-established association exists between acute aortic dissection and pregnancy, particularly in women with Marfan syndrome. However, there is debate regarding appropriate management guidelines. In particular, there are differing opinions regarding when prophylactic aortic root repair should be recommended as well as the efficacy of beta blockers in this clinical scenario. The current study evaluated 10 years of published literature (2005-2015) in the PubMed/Medline database. Fifty articles, describing 72 cases of women who presented with aortic dissection in the antepartum or postpartum period were identified. Comparisons on demographic variables and clinical outcomes between cases of women with Marfan syndrome (n… More >

Xinyan Li¹, Xiaoxia Qiu¹, Huan Huang¹, Yili Zhao², Xueqin Li¹, Meng Li¹, Xiaoxian Tian¹

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.13, No.2, pp. 282-287, 2018, DOI:10.1111/chd.12568

Abstract Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of using fetal heart size measurements derived from axial echocardiography to predict homozygous α-thalassemia-1.
Design: Prospective diagnostic study.
Setting: The carrier rate of α-thalassemia-1 (–/αα) in China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region is approximately 15%. If both parents are carriers, the risk of homozygous a-thalassemia-1 in one pregnancy is 25%.
Patients: Singleton mid-pregnancies at risk of homozygous α-thalassemia-1 were enrolled.
Outcome Measures: Fetal heart measurements, including heart diameter (HD), heart length (HL), heart circumference (HC), and heart area (HA), were measured. The z-scores for these heart parameters were then calculated separately based on previously constructed z-score… More >

Horacio G. Carvajal^1,2, Kathryn J. Lindley³, Trupti Shah¹, Anoop K. Brar¹, Philip M. Barger³, Joseph J. Billadello³, Pirooz Eghtesady¹

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.13, No.2, pp. 217-221, 2018, DOI:10.1111/chd.12554

Abstract Objective: The effects of pregnancy on autograft dilatation and neoaortic valve function in patients with a Ross procedure have not been studied. We sought to evaluate the effect of pregnancy on autograft dilatation and valve function in these patients with the goal of determining whether pregnancy is safe after the Ross procedure.
Design: A retrospective chart review of female patients who underwent a Ross procedure was conducted.
Patients: Medical records for 51 patients were reviewed. Among the 33 patients who met inclusion criteria, 11 became pregnant after surgery and 22 did not.
Outcome Measures: Echocardiographic reports were used to record… More >

So Yeon Kim^1,2, Diana S. Wolfe², Cynthia C. Taub²

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.13, No.2, pp. 203-209, 2018, DOI:10.1111/chd.12546

Abstract Aims: Pregnancy in patients with Marfan’s syndrome (MFS) carries an increased risk of cardiovascular complications, resulting in increased maternal and fetal mortality and morbidity. Literature on MFS pregnant patients is relatively sparse, and there has yet to be a concrete consensus on the management of this unique patient population. The purpose of our paper is to provide a literature review of case reports and studies on MFS during pregnancy (published between 2005 and 2015) and to explore cardiovascular outcomes of patients with MFS.
Methods and Results: Of the 852 women in our review, there were 1112 pregnancies, with an aortic… More >

Natalie Bottega¹, Isabelle Malhamé², Liming Guo¹, Raluca Ionescu‐Ittu¹, Judith Therrien¹, Ariane Marelli¹

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.14, No.5, pp. 735-744, 2019, DOI:10.1111/chd.12811

Abstract Background: The number of women with congenital heart disease (CHD) of reproductive age is increasing, yet a description of trends in pregnancy and delivery outcomes in this population is lacking.
Objective: To assess secular trends in pregnancy rates, delivery outcomes, and related health care utilization in the adult female CHD population in Quebec, Canada.
Methods: The Quebec CHD database was used to construct a cohort with all women with CHD aged 18‐45 years between 1992 and 2004. Pregnancy and delivery rates were determined yearly and compared to the general population. Secular trends in pregnancy and delivery rates were assessed with… More >

Yuli Y. Kim^1,2, Leah A. Goldberg², Katherine Awh², Tanmay Bhamare^1,2, David Drajpuch², Adi Hirshberg³, Sara L. Partington^1,2, Rachel Rogers⁴, Emily Ruckdeschel^1,2, Lynda Tobin¹, Morgan Venuti², Lisa D. Levine³

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.14, No.3, pp. 470-478, 2019, DOI:10.1111/chd.12750

Abstract Objective: To assess performance of risk stratification schemes in predicting adverse cardiac outcomes in pregnant women with congenital heart disease (CHD) and to compare these schemes to clinical factors alone.
Design: Single‐center retrospective study.
Setting: Tertiary care academic hospital.
Patients: Women ≥18 years with International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification codes indicating CHD who delivered between 1998 and 2014. CARPREG I and ZAHARA risk scores and modified World Health Organization (WHO) criteria were applied to each woman.
Outcome Measures: The primary outcome was defined by ≥1 of the following: arrhyth‐ mia, heart failure/pulmonary edema, transient ischemic attack, stroke,… More >