The Sequencing for Detection in Congenital Heart Disease (SD-CHD) Study

Description

This study is enrolling pregnant persons treated at Rady Children's Hospital fetal cardiology program with a prenatal diagnosis of congenital heart disease to look for genetic disorders in the fetus or unborn baby. Congenital heart disease (CHD) is a group of structural differences to the heart that represent the most common birth defect among liveborn infants world-wide. CHD is the leading cause of birth-defect associated infant death. Prenatal detection allows for delivery planning, postnatal repair, specialized medications, and detailed counseling for parents. Up to one in three fetuses with CHD may have a genetic cause. In babies, knowing about genetic diseases helps patients and doctors provide the best care for their babies. If identified prenatally, this same knowledge may help participants prepare for their location of delivery, meet with specialists, and consider specialized treatments and medications that may be appropriate. The diagnostic yield and clinical utility of whole genome sequencing (WGS) in fetuses with prenatally detected congenital heart disease (CHD) will be compared to routine clinical testing in patients choosing amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling. DNA will be obtained from fetal samples and biological parent blood samples and analyzed according to standard clinical interpretation guidelines. Results will be reported to healthcare providers and patients and measures of clinical utility will be collected. Additionally, measures of stress, anxiety, depression, and perceived utility of information will be assessed by validated survey tools. A historical cohort of patients electing for diagnostic procedures will be used as a comparison population.

Conditions

Congenital Heart Disease

Study Overview

Study Details

Study overview

This study is enrolling pregnant persons treated at Rady Children's Hospital fetal cardiology program with a prenatal diagnosis of congenital heart disease to look for genetic disorders in the fetus or unborn baby. Congenital heart disease (CHD) is a group of structural differences to the heart that represent the most common birth defect among liveborn infants world-wide. CHD is the leading cause of birth-defect associated infant death. Prenatal detection allows for delivery planning, postnatal repair, specialized medications, and detailed counseling for parents. Up to one in three fetuses with CHD may have a genetic cause. In babies, knowing about genetic diseases helps patients and doctors provide the best care for their babies. If identified prenatally, this same knowledge may help participants prepare for their location of delivery, meet with specialists, and consider specialized treatments and medications that may be appropriate. The diagnostic yield and clinical utility of whole genome sequencing (WGS) in fetuses with prenatally detected congenital heart disease (CHD) will be compared to routine clinical testing in patients choosing amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling. DNA will be obtained from fetal samples and biological parent blood samples and analyzed according to standard clinical interpretation guidelines. Results will be reported to healthcare providers and patients and measures of clinical utility will be collected. Additionally, measures of stress, anxiety, depression, and perceived utility of information will be assessed by validated survey tools. A historical cohort of patients electing for diagnostic procedures will be used as a comparison population.

The Sequencing for Detection in Congenital Heart Disease (SD-CHD) Study

The Sequencing for Detection in Congenital Heart Disease (SD-CHD) Study

Condition
Congenital Heart Disease
Intervention / Treatment

-

Contacts and Locations

San Diego

Rady Children's Institute for Genomic Medicine, San Diego, California, United States, 92123

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

For general information about clinical research, read Learn About Studies.

Eligibility Criteria

  • * Pregnant individual with ongoing pregnancy with prenatally detected fetal CHD
  • * Desire for genetic diagnosis and clinical plan for amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling
  • * Gestational age of 38 weeks or greater
  • * Clinical course entirely explained by known chromosomal abnormality or confirmed genetic diagnosis that explains the clinical condition
  • * Pregnant persons under 18 years of age

Ages Eligible for Study

18 Years to

Sexes Eligible for Study

FEMALE

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Collaborators and Investigators

Scripps Translational Science Institute,

Study Record Dates

2026-10-01