Prenatal diagnosis and postnatal follow-ups of 38 clubfoot cases in a tertiary reference center.

Abstract

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the descriptive outcomes of 38 prenatally suspected clubfoot cases.

Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study conducted in Ankara Bilkent City Hospital's perinatology clinic. All consecutive cases with the diagnosis of fetal clubfoot between 2020 and 2023 were included. Multiple pregnancies and skeletal dysplasias were excluded from the study. Demographic features, prenatal ultrasound findings, prenatal screening test results, invasive diagnostic test results, clinical approaches, short-term and long-term postnatal outcomes, and treatment types of clubfoot were reported.

Results: There were a total of 38 prenatally diagnosed clubfoot cases noted during the study period. The mean gestational age at diagnosis was 15.3±1.4 weeks. Prenatal ultrasound screening noted bilateral clubfoot in 16 (42.1%) cases and unilateral clubfoot in 22 (57.8%) cases. Clubfoot was isolated in 7 (18.4%) cases, and additional anomalies were present in 31 (81.6%) cases. The gender of the fetuses was 26 (68.4%) males and 12 (31.6%) females. The prenatal noninvasive screening test was high risk in 7 (18.4%) patients and low risk in 16 (42.1%) patients. As a result of amniocentesis performed in 16 (42.1%) patients, abnormal karyotypes were detected in 2 patients (trisomy 18, 22q11.2 del). Six pregnancies were terminated before 24 weeks, and 27 pregnancies resulted in live birth at an average of 37.8±2.5 weeks. The diagnosis was correct in 84.2% of the cases, and 84.6% of the pregnancies resulted in live births.

Conclusion: The outcomes of congenital clubfoot are generally favorable, especially in isolated cases.