Cloete E, et al. - Among fetuses and infants with congenital left heart obstruction (LHO), researchers examined the correlation between ethnicity and outcomes. The study sample consisted of fetuses and LHO infants from 20 weeks of gestation in New Zealand over a 9-year period, including all terminations, stillbirths and live births. By ethnicity and type of disease (hypoplastic left heart syndrome [HLHS], aortic arch obstruction [AAO], and aortic valve and supravalvular anomalies [AVSA]), they analyzed incidence and mortality of the disease. In 243 fetuses and newborns, critical LHO was diagnosed. The perinatal and infant mortality rate for HLHS was 82%, AAO was 15% and AVSA was 2%. Due to a higher rate of surgical intervention and better survival of infants, total case fatality was lower in Europeans vs other ethnicities. The results obtained from the retrospective population-based review indicate that HLHS has a high risk of infant and perinatal mortality. There are ethnic differences in incidence and mortality from congenital LHO with mortality rate differences, suggesting that there may be inequalities in perinatal management pathways.