FETAL CARDIOMYOPATHY

Cardiomyopathy encompasses a diverse group of cardiac disorders with variable etiologies, which result in an alteration of cardiac function.

ETIOLOGY

• Viral and bacterial infections.
• Inborn errors of metabolism.
• Endocardial fibroelastosis
• Maternal diabetes (hypertrophic cardiomyopathy).

CLASSIFICATION

• Obstructive cardiomyopathy (hypertrophy of the ventricular wall or septum).
• Non-obstructive cardiomyopathy (dilatation of one or more of the cardiac chambers with poor ventricular contractility).

Video clip of Cardiomyopathy

ASSOCIATED ANOMALIES

• 37% of live-born infants with cardiomyopathy have associated anomalies (1).

PROGNOSIS

• The prognosis is variable depending upon the severity of the cardiac lesion, the underlying etiology, the associated anomalies and the presence of fetal hydrops.

REFERENCES

1. Ferencz C, Rubin JD, McCarter RJ et.al. Congenital heart disease: Prevalence at live birth. The Baltimore-Washington infant study. Am J Epidemiol 1985;121:31-36.