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Head circumference in neonates with septal defects.
Line Høffner1,2, Anna Maria Dehn1,2, Sofie Dannesbo3,2,4
1Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, The Heart Center, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Cardiology in the Young
|April 21, 2025
Summary
Neonates with septal defects, such as atrial or ventricular septal defects, do not show differences in head circumference at birth compared to infants without these heart conditions. This finding is important for understanding early development in infants with congenital heart disease.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Cardiology
- Neonatal Research
- Developmental Pediatrics
Background:
- Congenital heart defects (CHD) affect up to 50% of children, often leading to neurodevelopmental issues.
- Small head circumference at birth is linked to impaired neurodevelopment in complex CHD.
- The impact of simple septal defects on head circumference is not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate and compare head circumference at birth in neonates with atrial or ventricular septal defects versus controls.
- To determine if simple septal defects are associated with smaller head circumferences at birth.
Main Methods:
- Prospective, population-based cohort study of over 25,000 neonates (Copenhagen Baby Heart Study).
- Transthoracic echocardiography within 30 days of birth to identify atrial or ventricular septal defects.
- Comparison of head circumference in term neonates with septal defects to matched controls without septal defects.
Main Results:
- Neonates with septal defects (n=1,030) had a mean head circumference of 34.8 cm.
- Controls without septal defects (n=5,150) had a mean head circumference of 34.7 cm (p=0.07).
- No significant differences in mean head circumference z-scores were observed between groups (p=0.07).
Conclusions:
- Head circumference at birth does not differ between term neonates with septal defects and those without.
- Simple septal defects are not associated with smaller head circumferences at birth.
