Congenital chylothorax: 44 of 65 survived to age 1; 11 of 20 had Language-Social DQ below 85

In a 65-fetus retrospective cohort, 44 survived to age 1. Among 20 isolated survivors assessed at age 3, 11 had Language-Social DQ below 85. The uncontrolled protocol and selected follow-up sample make this a surveillance signal, not proof that treatment or timing caused the outcomes.

Long-term follow-up remains essential, particularly for Language-Social development.

This cohort gives clinicians a useful survival denominator and a developmental warning. It does not show that waiting until 32 weeks, octreotide, prednisolone, or the full institutional pathway caused either result.

The study followed 65 fetuses with congenital chylothorax severe enough to require fetal or neonatal drainage. Ten fetal deaths and 11 infant deaths occurred. Forty-four children were alive at age 1, which was 68% of the original fetal cohort.