Does delivery before 39 weeks' gestation worsen outcomes in neonates with critical congenital heart disease?
Delivery of neonates with critical congenital heart disease before 39 weeks' gestation is associated with worse outcomes, suggesting 39-40 weeks is the ideal gestational age.
For neonates with critical congenital heart disease, delivery before 39 weeks' gestation is associated with greater mortality and morbidity rates and more resource use. With respect to neonatal mortality, the ideal gestational age for delivery of these patients may be 39 to 40 completed weeks.
Costello et al. (Mon,) studied this question.