A recent study published in JAMA Network Open reveals that increased prenatal visits significantly improve the chances of newborns with mild congenital heart defects receiving appropriate care at community hospitals. This finding suggests that more comprehensive prenatal care can lead to better outcomes for families, allowing them to avoid the burdens associated with traveling to specialized cardiac surgical centers.
Congenital heart defects represent the most prevalent and resource-intensive birth defects in the United States. While infants with severe heart defects are typically referred to specialized centers, those with milder conditions can safely receive care at local hospitals. The study emphasizes the critical role of prenatal care in ensuring that newborns are delivered in settings that match their clinical needs.
Joyce Woo, MD, a pediatric cardiologist at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago and Assistant Professor at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, highlights the importance of early and frequent prenatal visits. “One prenatal visit is usually not enough,” Dr. Woo explains. “Fetal heart disease can change over the course of pregnancy, and if the newborn does not require immediate surgery, remaining closer to home for delivery can be beneficial for families.”
The study analyzed data from more than 12,000 infants born with heart defects in Illinois between 2013 and 2021. Researchers aimed to evaluate how two aspects of prenatal care—initiation of care and frequency of visits—affected the delivery location for neonates with congenital heart defects. The findings indicated that delayed initiation of prenatal care was associated with a higher likelihood of delivery at a cardiac surgical center. In contrast, for babies with mild defects, increased prenatal visits correlated with a 7 percentage-point reduction in the probability of being born at such specialized centers.
Dr. Woo’s research underscores the necessity of tailored prenatal care. “Caring for children with heart defects begins before birth,” she states. “Prenatal care ensures that babies with congenital heart defects are born at the right location with the appropriate intensity of care based on their clinical needs. It also takes into account the family’s preferences for delivery location.”
The implications of this study extend beyond individual families. The findings can inform statewide policies regarding perinatal resource allocation, aiming for optimal healthcare delivery across communities. This analysis is set to be presented at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions on November 9, 2025.
Dr. Woo’s research has received support from the National Institutes of Health under grant NIH/NHLBI K01HL171819, further highlighting the importance of ongoing investment in maternal and child health research. The results of this study not only advocate for enhanced prenatal care but also aim to alleviate the stresses families face when navigating healthcare systems for their newborns.
