Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Risk factors for cardiovascular malformations in Finland

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

Abstract

The possible effects of genetic and environmental risk factors during pregnancy on the occurrence of cardiovascular malformations in the offspring was studied in 408 cases and 756 controls. The cases represented all registered cardiovascular malformations reported in Finland during 1982–1983. The controls were randomly selected from all babies born during the same period. Both the case and control mothers were interviewed by midwives approximately three months after delivery using a structured questionnaire. The parents of cases had more cardiovascular malformations than parents of the controls. Maternal alcohol consumption seemed to double the risk of atrial septal defect (OR =1.9, CI951.0–3.4). Maternal exposure to dyes, lacquers or paints was a significant risk factor for conal septal defects (OR = 2.9, CI95 = 1.2–7.5). Maternal upper respiratory infection was twice as common among the hypoplastic left ventricle group as among the controls. Maternal smoking, coffee, tea and cola consumption and intake of acetylsalicylic acid were equally prevalent in both groups. Maternal exposure to anesthetic gases, wood preservatives or pesticides was not associated with the risk of cardiovascular malformations. The study confirms that very little is known of the etiology of congenital heart disease.

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. BlomqvistO., EricsonA., KällenB. and WesterholmP. (1981): Delivery outcome for women working in the pulp and paper industry. - Scand J. Work Environ. Health 7: 114–118.

    Google Scholar 

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

    Google Scholar 

  3. CampbellM. (1973): Incidence of cardiac malformations at birth and later, and neonatal mortality. - Br. Heart J. 35: 189–200.

    Google Scholar 

  4. CarlgrenL.E., EricsonA. and KällenB. (1987): Monitoring of congenital cardiac defects. - Pediatr. Cardiol. 8: 247–256.

    Google Scholar 

  5. CoroneP., BonaitiC., FeingoldJ. and Fromonts DominiqueB.-B. (1983): Familiar congenital heart disease: How are the various types related? - Am. J. Cardiol. 36: 793–796.

    Google Scholar 

  6. FerencsC., RubinJ.D., McCarterR.J., BrennerJ.I., NeilC.A., PerryL.W., HepnerS.I. and DowningJ.W. (1985): Congenital heart disease: Prevalence at livebirth. The Baltimore-Washington Infant Study. -Am. J. Epidemiol. 121: 31–36.

    Google Scholar 

  7. GràbitzR.G., JoffresM.R. and Collins-NakaiR.L. (1988): Congenital heart disease: Incidence in the first year of life. The Alberta Heritage Pediatric Cardiology Program. - Am. J. Epidemiol. 128: 381–388.

    Google Scholar 

  8. HanssonE., JansaS., WandeH., KällenB. and ÖstlundE. (1980): Pregnancy outcome for women working in laboratories in some of the pharmaceutical industries in Sweden. - Scand. J. Work Environ. Health 6: 131–134.

    Google Scholar 

  9. HeinonenO.P. (1976): Risk factors for congenital heart disease. A prospective study. - In: Birth defects: Risks and consequences. Ed. by S. Kelly, E.B. Hook, D.T. Janerich, J.H. Porter, Academic Press, New York, pp. 221–264.

    Google Scholar 

  10. HemminkiK. and YineisP. (1985): Extrapolation of the evidence on teratogenicity of chemicals between humans and experimental animals. Chemicals other than drugs. - Teragenesis Carcinog. Mutagen 5: 251–318.

    Google Scholar 

  11. HoffmanJ.I. and ChristiansonR. (1978): Congenital heart disease in a cohort of 19.502 births with longterm follow-up. - Am. J. Cardiol. 42: 641–647.

    Google Scholar 

  12. HolmbergP.C., HernbergS., KurppaK., RantalaK. and RialaR. (1982): Oral clefts and organic solvent exposure during pregnancy. - Int. Arch. Occup. Environ. Health 50: 371–376.

    Google Scholar 

  13. HolmbergP.C. and NurminenM. (1980): Congenital defects of the central nervous systems and occupational factors during pregnancy. A case-referent study. - Am J. Ind. Med. 1: 167–176.

    Google Scholar 

  14. KlemettiA. and SaxenL. (1967): Prospective versus retrospective approach in the search for environmental causes of malformations. - Am. J. Public Health 57: 2071–2075.

    Google Scholar 

  15. KuzeraK. (1960): Exposure to fat solvents: A possible cause of sacral agenesis in man. - J. Pediatr. 72: 857–859.

    Google Scholar 

  16. LemeshowS. and HosmerD.W.Jr. (1984): Estimating odds rations with categorically scaled covariated in multiple logistic regression analysis. - Am. J. Epidemiol. 119: 147–151.

    Google Scholar 

  17. MeirikO., KällenB., GaufnU. and EricsonA. (1979): Major malformations in infants born of women who worked in laboratories while pregnant. - Lancet 2: 91.

    Google Scholar 

  18. MeszarosM., NaffA., KrasznaiG. and CzeizelA. (1980): Birth prevalence of congenital cardiovascular malformations in Hungary. - Acta Peadiatr. Acad. Sci. Hung. 21: 221–225.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Mäkinen L. (1981): Severe congenital cardiovascular malformations in infancy. Thesis. – Helsinki.

  20. NewmanT.B. (1985): Etiology of ventricular septal defectes: An epidemiologic approach. - Pediatrics 76: 741–749.

    Google Scholar 

  21. RogerJ.H. (1977): A significance test for cyclic trends in incidence data. - Biometria 64: 152–155.

    Google Scholar 

  22. SchardinJ.L. (1985): Chemically induced birth defects. - Markel Dekker, INC. New York.

    Google Scholar 

  23. SpoonerE.W., HookE.B., FarinaM.A. and ShaherR.M. (1988): Evaluation of a temporal increase in ventricular septal defects: Estimated prevalence and severity in Northeastern New York, 1970–1983. Teratology 37: 21–28.

    Google Scholar 

  24. StollC., AlembikY., RothM.P., DottB. and DeGeeterB. (1989): Risk factors in congenital heart disease. -Eur. J. Epidemiol. 5: 382–391.

    Google Scholar 

  25. TikkanenJ. (1986): Synnynnäisten sydänvikojen riskitekijät (Risk factors for congenital heart disease). Thesis. - Health Services Research by the National Board of Health in Finland no 36, Helsinki, (In Finnish).

    Google Scholar 

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

    Google Scholar 

  27. TikkanenJ., HeinonenO.P., KurppaK. and RantalaK. (1990): Cardiovascular malformations and maternal exposure to video display terminals during pregnancy. - Eur. J. Epidemiol. 6: 61–66.

    Google Scholar 

  28. WhittemoreR., HobbinsJ.C. and EngleM.L. (1982): Pregnancy and its outcome in women with and without surgical treatment of congenital heart disease. - Am. J. Cardiol. 50: 641–651.

    Google Scholar 

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

    Google Scholar 

  30. ZierlerS. (1985): Maternal drugs and congenital heart disease. - Obstet. Gynecol. 65: 155–165.

    Google Scholar 

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

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Tikkanen, J., Heinonen, O.P. Risk factors for cardiovascular malformations in Finland. Eur J Epidemiol 6, 348–356 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00151707

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00151707

Key words

Search

Navigation