Medical Student Research Fellowship for Summer 2007

Mentor: Catherine Minor Ikemba, MD
Department: Pediatrics, Division of Cardiology
Room number: B3343
Mail Code: 9063
Phone number: 214 456 5754 pager: 972 326 1439
E-mail: catherine.ikemba@childrens.com
Project title: Impact of a prenatal diagnosis of congenital heart disease on parental attachment and anxiety

Human subjects IRB approved project number (where applicable): 032006-076

Animal subjects IRB approved project number (where applicable): NA

Project Type patient-based research

Brief Description of Project: Prenatal diagnosis of congenital heart disease can be psychologically traumatic leading to complex emotional reactions including guilt, fear, anxiety, and hopelessness. Such a diagnosis disrupts the enjoyment and anticipation of a normal pregnancy, bonding with the infant, and parental harmony. Parents mourn the loss of a normal pregnancy. On the other hand, studies have shown that most families who have had a child with congenital heart disease or abnormal fetal echo would choose to have another fetal echo in subsequent pregnancies. Although psychologically stressful, we postulate that prenatal diagnosis of congenital heart disease allows families time to progress through stages of grieving resulting in reduction of anxiety after delivery of the baby and improved bonding with the infant compared to parents of children with congenital heart disease without a prenatal diagnosis. The relationship between anxiety and attachment to maternity blues has been studied by Nagata et al. in mothers of healthy children using a validated, self administered questionnaire. Such a validated scale measuring attachment and anxiety has not been utilized in mothers of infants with congenital heart disease. We are using this validated questionnaire assessing attachment and anxiety in the mothers and fathers of infants born with congenital heart disease within the first two weeks of life or first two weeks of post natal diagnosis provided the infant is diagnosed during the first three months of life. Follow up questionnaire will be administered at a cardiology clinic visit or by telephone at 2-4 months after birth or diagnosis. Our purpose is to compare attachment and anxiety scores of parents with a prenatal diagnosis of congenital heart disease to parents without a prenatal diagnosis.

Previous Research Activities or Publications with Medical Students:

This will be my first project involving a medical student. I am involved with several projects involving Fellows:
Our most recent project accepted at the American Society of Echocardiography Meeting, June 2007 was "Diagnosing a Patent Foramen Ovale in Children, Is Transesophageal Echocardiography Necessary?" with Fellow Zak Hubail, MD

I also have participated in education of medical students on the cardiology ward and leading an Embryology Seminar " Prenatal Diagnosis of Congenital Heart Defects" May 11, 2006

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