Congenital diaphragmatic hernia report – lay version
This report, part of the Maternal, newborn and infant outcome review programme, investigates congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) and is a patient-friendly version of the full report.
CDH occurs in approximately 1 in 3000–4000 live births, and is associated with a high overall mortality and a high rate of morbidity amongst survivors. Estimates of the number of cases in the UK vary but it is likely that there are between 200 and 300 new cases annually. Of these up to 70% are likely to be diagnosed antenatally as part of routine screening. Up to a third of all UK cases end in either a spontaneous loss during the pregnancy or an elective termination.
