Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Risk factors for atrial septal defect

  • Published:
European Journal of Epidemiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The possible effect of environmental factors during pregnancy on the occurrence of atrial septal defect (ASD-secundum) in the offspring was studied in 50 cases and 756 controls. The cases represented all verified ASDs in Finland during 1982–1983. The controls were randomly selected from all infants born during the same period. Case and control mothers were interviewed by midwives using a structured questionnaire approximately three months after delivery. Congenital heart disease was more prevalent among parents of cases than those of controls. Maternal alcohol consumption during the first trimester of pregnancy appeared to double the risk of atrial septal defect (OR =1.9, Cl95 =1.1- 3.4). Maternal exposure to chemicals at work during the first trimester was more prevalent among the ASD-group (40.0%) than the control group (26.2%). The risk of ASD was not associated with maternal smoking, or coffee, tea or acetosalicylic acid consumption.

Maternal exposure to video display terminals, microwave ovens, organic solvents, anesthetic gases, pesticides or wood preservatives during the first trimester of pregnancy were not associated with the risk of an atrial septal defect. It is concluded that some common physical and chemical exposures during early pregnancy should not necessarily be considered risk factors for atrial septal defect.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Armitage P. (1985): Statistical methods in medical research - Blackwell Scientific Publications - Oxford.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Boughman J.A., Berg K.A. and Astemborski J.A. (1987): Familiar risks of congenital heart defect assessed in a population-based epidemiologic study -Am. J. Med. Genet. 26: 839–849.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Bound J.P. and Logan W.F.W.E. (1977): Incidence of congenital heart disease in Blackpool 1957–1971 - Br. Heart J. 39: 445–450.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Campbell M. (1965): Causes of malformations of the heart - Br. Med. J. 2: 895–904.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Campbell M. and Polani P.E. (1961): Factors in the etiology of atrial septal defect - Br. Heart J. 23: 477–493.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Carlgren L.E. (1969): Kongenitala hjärtfel hos barn födda i Göteborg 1941–1960 - Läkartidningen 66: 4883–4888.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Clarren S.K. and Smith D. W. (1978): The fetal alcohol syndrome - N. Engl. J. Med. 298: 1063–1067.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Ferencz C., Rubin J., McCarter R.J. and Boughman J.A. (1987): Cardiac and non-cardiac malformations: Observations in a population-based study -Teratology 35: 367–378.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Heinonen O.P. (1976): Risk factors for congenital heart disease. A prospective study. Ketty S., Hook E.B., Janerich D.T., Porter I.H., eds. Birth Defects: Risks and consequences - Academic Press, New York, 221–264.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Henriksen J.B. (1974): Congenital heart defects in children born in Norway 1967–1968 - Tidsskr. Nor. Laegeforen 94: 624–627.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Kenna A.P., Smithless R.W. and Fielding D.W. (1975): Congenital heart disease in Liverpool: 1960–1969 - Q. J. Med. 44: 17–44.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Lemeshow S. and Hosmer D.W. Jr. (1984): Estimating odds ratios with categorially scaled covariates in multiple logistic regression analysis - Am. J. Epidemiol. 119: 147–151.

    Google Scholar 

  13. MacKenzie S.G. and Lippman A. (1989): An investigation of report bias in a case-control study of pregnancy outcome - Am. J. Epidemiol. 129: 65–75.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Mitchell S.C., Korones S.B. and Berendes H.W. (1971): Congenital heart disease in 56,109 births. Incidence and natural history - Circulation 43: 323–332.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Mäkinen L. (1981): Severe congenital cardiovascular malformations in infancy - Thesis. Helsinki.

  16. Nadas A.S. and Fyler D.C.F. (1972): Pediatric Cardiology. WB Sounders Company - Third edition -Philadelphia- London - Toronto.

    Google Scholar 

  17. Nora J.J., McGill C.W. and McNamara D.G. (1970): Empiric recurrence risk in common and uncommon congenital heart lesions - Teratology 3: 325–329.

    Google Scholar 

  18. Nora J.J., Nora A.H. and Wexler P. (1971): Hereditary and environmental aspects as they affect the fetus and newborn - Clin. Obst. and Gynecol. 24: 851–861.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Randell C.L., Taylor J. and Walker D.W. (1977): Ethanol induced malformations in mice -Alcoholism 1: 219–244.

    Google Scholar 

  20. Richards M.R., Merritt K.K., Samuels H.M. and Langmann A.G. (1955): Congenital malformations of the cardiovascular system in a series of 6053 infants -Pediatrics 15: 12–28.

    Google Scholar 

  21. Sandor G.G.S., Smith D.F. and Maclead P.M. (1981): Cardiac malformations in the fetal alcohol syndrome- J. Pediatr. 98: 771–773.

    Google Scholar 

  22. Saxén L. (1983): Twenty years of study of the etiology of congenital malformations in Finland. In: Kalter H. ed. Issues and Reviews in Teratology. New York -Plenum Press Corporation 73–100.

    Google Scholar 

  23. Stoll C., Alembik Y., Roth M.P., Dott B. and De Geeter B. (1989): Risk factors in congenital heart disease -Eur. J. Epidemiol. 5: 382–391.

    Google Scholar 

  24. Tikkanen J. (1984): Smoking and alcohol consumption during pregnancy in Finland. Publications of the National Board of Health - Series Original Reports 4/1984 - Helsinki.

  25. Tikkanen J. (1986): Risk factors for congenital heart disease - Thesis. Health services research by the National Board of Health in Finland - Helsinki.

  26. Tikkanen J. and Heinonen O.P. (1988): Cardiovascular malformations and organic solvent exposure during pregnancy in Finland - Am. J. Ind. Med. 14: 1–8.

    Google Scholar 

  27. Tikkanen J., Kurppa K. and Timonen H. (1988): Cardiovascular malformations, work attendance, and occupational exposures during pregnancy in Finland- Am. J. Ind. Med. 14: 197–284.

    Google Scholar 

  28. Tikkanen J., Heinonen O.P., Kurppa K. and Rantala K. (1989): Cardiovascular malformation and maternal exposure to video display terminals during pregnancy- Eur. J. Epidemiol. 6: 61–66.

    Google Scholar 

  29. Tikkanen J. and Heinonen O.P. (1990): Risk factors for cardiovascular malformations in Finland - Eur. J. Epidemiol. 6: 348–356.

    Google Scholar 

  30. Tikkanen J. and Heinonen O.P. (1991): Maternal exposure to chemical and physical factors during pregnancy and cardiovascular malformations in the offspring - Teratology 43: 591–600.

    Google Scholar 

  31. Tynan M.J., Bercker A.E., Macartney F.J., Jimènez M.O., Shinebourne E.A. and Andersson R.H. (1979): Nomenclature and classification of congenital heart disease - Br. Heart J. 41: 544–553.

    Google Scholar 

  32. VanMierop L.H.S. (1984): Diagnostic code for congenital heart disease - Pediatr. Cardiol. 5: 331–362.

    Google Scholar 

  33. Werler M.A., Pober B.R., Nelson K.G. and Holmes L.B. (1989): Reporting accuracy among mothers of malformed and nonmalformed infants - Am. J. Epidemiol. 129: 415–421.

    Google Scholar 

  34. Workshop to Guidelines to the Epidemiology of Weak Associations (1987): Prev. Med. 16: 139–212.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Public Health Institute, Kalliolinnantie 4, SF-00140, Helsinki, Finland

    J. Tikkanen & O. P. Heinonen

Authors
  1. J. Tikkanen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. O. P. Heinonen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

Corresponding author.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Tikkanen, J., Heinonen, O.P. Risk factors for atrial septal defect. Eur J Epidemiol 8, 509–515 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00146368

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00146368

Key words

Search

Navigation