Lead researcher
Dr Emily Cohen
Main finding
The ductus arteriosus, a connection between two major blood vessels of the heart, is a normal part of a baby's circulatory system before birth that usually closes shortly after birth. If it remains open, however, it can lead to disturbances within the newborn's blood circulation.
Newborns who are born too small for their gestational age (intrauterine growth restriction, IUGR) show a significant drop in brain oxygenation when this connection remains open, which may be harmful for the developing brain.
Centre
The Ritchie Centre
Research group
Child and Infant Health
Journal and article title
Most surprising
IUGR babies show increased blood flow toward the brain prior to birth. We had therefore expected that the open connection would effect their brain blood flow less than it does in normally grown newborns. In contrast to our hypothesis, IUGR newborns showed a significant and more pronounced drop in their brain oxygenation than normally grown newborns.
Future implications
IUGR newborns may be more prone to brain damage due to disturbances in their brain blood flow. Future research should investigate whether early screening for and treatment of such an open connection can prevent harmful fluctuations in brain oxygenation and improve neurodevelopmental outcome in IUGR babies.
Disease/health impact
Intrauterine growth restriction
Other points of interest
This data was collected and analysed at the Wilhelmina Children's Hospital in Utrecht, The Netherlands.
