Harnessing the maternal immune system to predict fetal congenital heart disease

In progress

01/11/2023

Congenital heart disease

South East

Diagnostic

Awarded amount: £184,265

Grant scheme: TRP

Institution: Queen Mary University of London

Principle Investigator: Dr Suchita Nadkarni

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Congenital heart diseases (CHD), in which a baby’s heart does not develop properly, can be severe and life-threatening.

Many of them require surgery to correct. However, current methods only allow detection of CHDs once the heart has already developed in the second trimester. This study will explore whether certain biological markers in the mother’s blood can be an early indicator of the development of CHD.

If so, this could improve understanding of CHD and how to detect them earlier.