ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Genet.

Sec. Molecular Cytogenetics

Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fgene.2025.1611388

Application of chromosome microarray analysis and karyotyping in fetal cardiac abnormalities

Provisionally accepted
Jungao  HuangJungao Huang1Linju  ZhouLinju Zhou1Yun  GuoYun Guo1Xiaoqin  XinXiaoqin Xin2*
  • 1Ganzhou Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Ganzhou, China
  • 2Ganzhou People's Hospital, Ganzhou, Jiangxi Province, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

Objective: Chromosome microarray analysis (CMA) and karyotyping are two important genetic testing techniques used in prenatal diagnosis. This study aims to evaluate the value of chromosome microarray analysis and karyotyping in the diagnosis of fetal cardiac abnormalities, with particular focus on the detection of genomic copy number variations (CNVs).Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 98 pregnant women diagnosed with fetal cardiac abnormalities through ultrasound between January 2022 and June 2024. Amniotic fluid samples from all participants were subjected to the analysis of karyotyping and Chromosome microarray analysis. The detection rates of both techniques in different types of fetal cardiac abnormalities were compared, and the outcomes of positive cases were followed up.Of the 98 fetuses with cardiac abnormalities, 12 cases showed abnormal genetic results, with a detection rate of 12.24%. Karyotyping identified 5 cases of abnormalities (5.10%), while the chromosome microarray analysis detected 11 cases (11.22%). In the group with isolated cardiac abnormalities (76 cases) and the group with cardiac abnormalities combined with other ultrasound abnormalities (22 cases), karyotyping detected 3.95% (3/76) and 9.09% (2/22) of abnormalities, with no significant statistical difference (P>0.05). Chromosome microarray analysis detected abnormalities in 6.58% (5/76) of the isolated cardiac abnormalities group and 27.27% (6/22) in the group with combined abnormalities, showing a significant statistical difference (P<0.05). Of the 12 positive cases, 4 were live births, 8 were terminations, and postpartum cardiac abnormalities were found in 2 live births during follow-up.Chromosome microarray analysis has a higher detection rate in fetuses with cardiac abnormalities than traditional chromosome karyotyping, especially when fetal cardiac abnormalities are combined with other ultrasound abnormalities. It is recommended for clinical use to improve the detection of genetic alterations.

Keywords: Chromosome microarray analysis, Karyotyping, Fetal cardiac abnormalities, copy number variation (CNV), Ultrasound abnormalities

Received: 14 Apr 2025; Accepted: 19 May 2025.

Copyright: © 2025 Huang, Zhou, Guo and Xin. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

* Correspondence: Xiaoqin Xin, Ganzhou People's Hospital, Ganzhou, Jiangxi Province, China

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