Central Nervous System and Cardiovascular Diseases

Abstract

ABSTRACT Children with congenital heart diseases (CHD) are at increased risk of neurodevelopmental delay (NDD). In fetuses with CHD, blood streaming in the brain may be partially deoxygenated. Signs of cerebrovascular autoregulation comparable to the “brain-sparing effect” in growth-restricted fetuses may be shown in fetuses with CHD depending on the type of heart disease. This effect appears to be predominantly present in fetuses with left-side obstructive lesions (LSOL). During prenatal counseling, it is recommended to mention the possibility of an increased risk of NDD. The severity of this impairment varies from the type of CHD, being highest up to 40 to 45% in lesions with univentricular heart hemodynamics, such as hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS). The prenatal life plays an important role in determining postnatal neurodevelopmental functions, but the severity of NDD in fetuses with CHD cannot be predicted prenatally. How to cite this article Arduini M. Central Nervous System and Cardiovascular Diseases. Donald School J Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol 2017;11(4):362-366.