Epidemiological, Clinical and Echocardiographic Profiles of Premature Newborns with Congenital Heart Disease at the Mother and Child Center of the Chantal Biya Foundation in Yaoundé

Objective: To describe the hospital prevalence, clinical signs and echocardiographic characteristics of congenital heart disease in premature newborns. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study with prospective collection from November 2023 to June 2024 on any preterm newborn whose gestational age was between 28 weeks and 36 weeks + 6 days. Results: A total of 6 cases of congenital heart disease were found out of 31 patients collected. The hospital prevalence of congenital heart disease in premature infants was 19.3%. Persistent ductus arteriosus (66.67%) and ventricular septal defect (33.33%) were the 2 main signs of congenital heart disease. No cyanogenic congenital heart disease was found. Conclusion: A more comprehensive analysis of prematurity, including congenital heart disease screening, could inform clinical practice and improve outcomes in preterm infants to reduce neonatal mortality in a context of resource-limited country.