Prenatal Care and Perinatal Regionalization for Congenital Heart Defects.

ABSTRACT:

Importance

Regionalization is a system by which neonates with congenital heart defects (CHDs) are directed to risk-appropriate levels of care. However, the role of prenatal care in delivery location remains unclear.

Objective

To estimate associations between prenatal care adequacy and the likelihood of delivery at a pediatric cardiac center.

Design, setting, and participants

This cross-sectional study examined retrospective data from the Illinois Department of Public Health's Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes Reporting System. Participants included neonates born with CHDs in Illinois from 2013 to 2021. Data were analyzed from November 2024 to May 2025.

Exposures

Two binary exposure variables: (1) prenatal care initiation-none vs inadequate prenatal care (initiated aft

SUBMITTER: Laternser C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12598512 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature