Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark Fetal Heart Defects and Disrupted Cerebral Growth: A Cohort Study in 63,201 Fetuses M.H. Lauridsen, O.B. Petersen, E.M. Vestergaard, N. Uldbjerg, T.B. Henriksen, J.R. Østergaard, N.B. Matthiesen, V.E. Hjortdal Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark Liqun Sun et al. Circulation. 2015;131:1313-1323 2 years, 63,201 pregnancies 413 fetuses with CHD (0.65%) 168 (41%) identified before birth 57,754 singletons 298 fetuses with CHD (149 minor, 149 major) 268 live born children, 28 TOP, 1 fetal death 15 born before 30 weeks gestation Exclusion

Fetal Heart Defects and Disrupted Cerebral Growth: A Cohort Study in 63,201 Fetuses Z-scores Minor heart defects: No differences Major heart defects. 1st trimester BPD: no difference 2nd trimester mean HC z-score: reduced with 0.24(0.4 to 0.08)* At birth mean HC z-score: reduced with 0.49(0.7 to 0.3)* At birth mean BW z-score: reduced with 0.40(0.58 to 0.23)* HC relative to BW: no difference Conclusion: Fetal cerebral growth may be disrupted already during the 2nd trimester in some fetuses with major heart defects Thus the search for potential brain protective interventions should begin in early pregnancy