Congenital Heart Defects and Indices of Placental and Fetal Growth in a Nationwide Study of 924 422 Liveborn Infants
Main finding · Placental weight z scoreResult — go to the resultMean z score difference −0.04 95% CI −0.07 to −0.02Authors' conclusion
Three subtypes of CHD were associated with lower placental weight, and placental weight was associated with measures of both overall growth and cerebral growth in fetuses with all subtypes of CHD. In certain subtypes, the described deviations in fetal growth were reduced by up to two-thirds after adjustment for placental weight z score.
Study context
- Population
- Liveborn Danish singletons, 1997 to 2011
- Participants
- 924,422 singletons
- Exposure
- Newborns with CHD vs without CHD
- CHDn = 7,569
- Outcome
- Placental weight z score at birth
- Follow-up
- Birth
Methodological detailsmultivariable linear regression adjusted for potential confounders
- Multivariable linear regression adjusted for potential confounders
Main finding
Placental weight z score
Mean z score difference
−0.04
95% CI −0.07 to −0.02
As reported in the abstract
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
| Outcome | Mean z score difference (95% CI) |
|---|---|
| Placental weight z score, by CHD subtypeTetralogy of Fallot vs No CHD | −0.45 (−0.58 to −0.31) |
| Placental weight z score, by CHD subtypeDouble-outlet RV vs No CHD | −0.48 (−0.87 to −0.10) |
| Placental weight z score, by CHD subtypeMajor ventricular septal defects vs No CHD | −0.41 (−0.52 to −0.29) |
Birth weight and head circumference z scores
- In the 3 subtypes, deviations from population mean head circumference and birth weight z scores reduced with adjustment for placental weight z score
- up to 66%
- Placental weight z score associated with birth weight and head circumference z scores in all subtypes
Original publication
Congenital Heart Defects and Indices of Placental and Fetal Growth in a Nationwide Study of 924 422 Liveborn Infants. Circulation. Published 14 October 2016. doi:10.
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it