Babies born to mothers with certain chronic diseases may be at increased risk for heart problems, a new study suggests. The analysis included millions of births in Taiwan. The researchers found that pregnant women who themselves had been born with heart defects or who later developed type 2 diabetes were moreapt to have babies born with severe heart disease ("congenital" disease).
The study didn't
prove a cause-and-effect link. However, babies of mothers with these
conditions should be closely monitored after birth, according to the
researchers.
The
investigators said they also found a slightly higher risk of mild
congenital heart problems in babies of mothers with several other
chronic diseases, including: type 1 diabetes, high blood pressure,
anemia and epilepsy.
"Although some maternal diseases were
associated with congenital heart disease in offspring, caution should be
applied in interpreting these associations, because the population
attributable risks were very low," the study authors wrote.
Still, the results are of value in identifying and advising high-risk
women, according to lead author Dr. Chung-Yi Li, a professor at the
Institute of Public Health at National Cheng Kung University in Taiwan,
and colleagues.
The study was published Oct. 11 in the CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).
"For pregnant women who are at high risk, more frequent prenatal
screening (with fetal echocardiography) may be warranted. Early
recognition of congenital heart disease also permits optimal preparation
and care during pregnancy, delivery and the postnatal period," the
researchers said in a journal news release.
Congenital heart
disease occurs in five to 15 of every 1,000 live births and is the
leading cause of death in newborns, according to background information
in the news release.
تعليقات
إرسال تعليق