1. Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
Fetal Heart Defects and Disrupted Cerebral Growth: A Cohort Study in 63,201 Fetuses
M.H. Lauridsen, O.B. Petersen, E.M. Vestergaard, N. Uldbjerg, T.B. Henriksen, J.R. Østergaard, N.B. Matthiesen, V.E. Hjortdal
Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
Liqun Sun et al. Circulation. 2015;131:
2 years, 63,201 pregnancies
413 fetuses with CHD (0.65%)
168 (41%) identified before birth
57,754 singletons
298 fetuses with CHD (149 minor, 149 major)
268 live born children, 28 TOP, 1 fetal death
15 born before 30 weeks gestation
Exclusion

2. Fetal Heart Defects and Disrupted Cerebral Growth: A Cohort Study in 63,201 Fetuses
Z-scores
Minor heart defects: No differences
Major heart defects.
1st trimester BPD: no difference
2nd trimester mean HC z-score: reduced with 0.24(0.4 to 0.08)*
At birth mean HC z-score: reduced with 0.49(0.7 to 0.3)*
At birth mean BW z-score: reduced with 0.40(0.58 to 0.23)*
HC relative to BW: no difference
Conclusion:
Fetal cerebral growth may be
disrupted already during the
2nd trimester in some fetuses with
major heart defects
Thus the search for potential
brain protective interventions should
begin in early pregnancy