Objectives
To survey antenatal cardiac screening practice within the Northwest of England and North Wales, and to ascertain antenatal detection rate for simple transposition of great arteries (TGA).

Methods
A questionnaire was sent to all obstetric units within the region, which refer to the foetal cardiac clinics at Manchester and Liverpool. All infants with simple TGA (with or without VSD) presenting to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital between January 2001 and June 2008 were identified; the referring obstetric unit was ascertained where possible and the group subdivided according to antenatal (AN) or postnatal (PN) diagnosis.

Results
Twenty-seven obstetric units responded to the questionnaire survey. Responses indicated that 12 units (44%) assessed only the standard four chamber view and 15 units (56%) included outflow views. 113 patients (14 AN, 99 PN) with simple TGA were treated at our institution during this period.

Conclusion
56% of obstetric units in our region satisfy the United Kingdom national guidelines to include outflow tract views in the antenatal cardiac screening protocol. Isolated cardiac outflow tract anomalies are not well detected antenatally with only 12.3% infants with TGA diagnosed in-utero. It is anticipated that with increasing adherence to the antenatal screening national guidelines, antenatal diagnosis rates for outflow tract anomalies will improve.