Association Between Preeclampsia and Congenital Heart Defects

Area of Science:

• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Pediatric Cardiology
• Reproductive Health

Background:

• Preeclampsia shares angiogenic pathways with congenital heart defects, yet their relationship is not fully understood.
• Understanding this link is crucial for maternal and infant health outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of congenital heart defects in offspring born to mothers with preeclampsia.
• To investigate the association between preeclampsia onset and specific types of congenital heart defects.

Main Methods:

• A population-level analysis of live births in Quebec, Canada (1989-2012) included over 1.9 million neonates.
• Infants were assessed for critical and noncritical congenital heart defects, comparing those exposed to preeclampsia with unexposed infants.
• Preeclampsia was defined by onset before or after 34 weeks of gestation.

Main Results:

• Infants of mothers with preeclampsia showed a higher absolute prevalence of congenital heart defects.
• A significant association was found between preeclampsia and noncritical heart defects, particularly septal defects.
• Early-onset preeclampsia (before 34 weeks) was associated with a significantly increased prevalence of critical heart defects.

Conclusions:

• Preeclampsia is associated with an increased risk of noncritical congenital heart defects in offspring.
• Early-onset preeclampsia (<34 weeks) is linked to a higher prevalence of critical congenital heart defects.
• Despite associations, the overall absolute risk of congenital heart defects in infants exposed to preeclampsia remains low.