Congenital Heart Defects and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders

Abstract

Pediatric cardiologists may have frequent contact with children with FASD and increased levels of attention to prenatal alcohol exposure as a potential etiology of CHD is indicated.

Epidemiology and Etiology of Congenital Heart Diseases

“…Today, there is no evidence associating caffeine ingestion during pregnancy and teratogenicity of congenital heart disease (Pejtsik et al, 1992;Linn et al, 1982).  Alcohol; Maternal alcohol use during pregnancy is associated with fetal alcohol syndrome which comprise a spectrum of abnormal face, growth restriction, central nervous system abnormality and cardiac defects with VSDs occurring most commonly (Pejtsik et al, 1992;Carmichael et al, 2003;Burd et al, 2007;Loser et al, 1992). In Spain, a case-control study by Martinez-Frias et al reported that a higher risk of developing CHDs was found in the group with the highest-level daily doses of alcohol consumption (the absolute alcohol ingestion was more than 92 gram per day.…”

Association of maternal chronic disease with risk of congenital heart disease in offspring

“…8, 9 Maternal lifestyle factors, including cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption and obesity, have also been associ ated with risk of congenital heart disease. [10][11][12] It is also well established that maternal rubella infection during pregnancy can result in off spring with various congenital heart diseases. 13 Available information about the association of maternal chronic diseases with congenital heart disease is limited.…”

Mortality in Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders

“…We have previously reviewed the published data on the association of FASD and congenital heart defects [15]. In several cases it was difficult to determine if the deaths were due to congenital heart defects which were morbid but not mortal.…”