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Updated: Jan 13, 2026
Hemodynamic Precision in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit using Targeted Neonatal Echocardiography
Published on: January 27, 2023
Maternal pre-eclampsia and the risk of atrial septal defect in the neonate, a prospective, population-based cohort
Anna M Dehn1, Anna Sellmer1, Ruth O B Vøgg2
1Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, https://ror.org/03mchdq19Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Introduction:
Atrial septal defect is commonly considered a minor CHD, but morbidity and mortality are higher compared to the background population. Maternal pre-eclampsia is associated with CHD in the offspring in large registry-based studies. However, the association between pre-eclampsia and atrial septal defects might be subject to detection bias, as many atrial septal defects are asymptomatic or might remain undiagnosed until late in life.
Objectives:
We investigated the association between maternal pre-eclampsia and the risk of atrial septal defects in a population-based cohort of neonates examined with echocardiography.
Materials And Methods:
Neonates included in the Copenhagen Baby Heart Study, who were examined using transthoracic echocardiography within 30 days of birth, were systematically assessed for atrial septal defects and patent foramen ovale using a standardised algorithm. Using log-linear binomial regression and polytomous logistic regression, we compared the risk of atrial septal defects in neonates exposed to maternal pre-eclampsia with the risk in neonates not exposed to pre-eclampsia.
Results:
Our study cohort included 12,354 neonates (mean age, 11 days), including 462 exposed to maternal pre-eclampsia. Atrial septal defect was found in 5.9% (n = 732) of the study cohort and compared with unexposed neonates, neonates exposed to maternal pre-eclampsia had a modestly increased risk of atrial septal defects (adjusted risk ratio 1.19, 95% confidence interval 0.83, 1.64). Estimates were robust to various exclusions in sensitivity analyses.
Conclusion:
There appears to be an association between maternal pre-eclampsia and atrial septal defect in the neonate in a population-based cohort of neonates.
