Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41501411›Full record

ArticlePediatric research2026

Placental hypoplasia and vascular malperfusion are associated with reduced brain volumes in fetal congenital heart disease.

Claire Baldauf, Valeria Rosas, Paul Zamiara, William T Reynolds, Shuo Wang, Nhu Tran, Rafael Ceschin, Melissa L Wilson, Jodie K Votava-Smith, Jessica L Wisnowski and 1 more

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in Pediatric research, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Prenatal serotonin reuptake inhibitor exposure and maternal depression symptoms are associated with altered fetal brain and placental development.Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology · 2026
    Observational
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Claire BaldaufFetal and Neonatal Institute, Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Los Angeles, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Valeria RosasDivision of Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Los Angeles, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Paul ZamiaraDepartment of Pathology, Children's Hospital of Los Angeles, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
William T ReynoldsDepartment of Biomedical Informatics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
Shuo WangDivision of Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Los Angeles, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Nhu TranFetal and Neonatal Institute, Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Los Angeles, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Rafael CeschinDepartment of Biomedical Informatics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
Melissa L WilsonDivision of Disease Prevention, Policy, & Global Health, Department of Population & Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Jodie K Votava-SmithDivision of Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Los Angeles, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Jessica L WisnowskiFetal and Neonatal Institute, Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Los Angeles, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Vidya RajagopalanDivision of Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Los Angeles, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA. vrajagopalan@chla.usc.edu.

Funding

The internship in Biomedical Research, Informatics, and Computer Science (iBRIC): Biomedical Informatics and Data Science research experiences for students from Minority Serving InstitutionsT15LM007059 · NLM · UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH · PI HARRY S HOCHHEISER · 1987 to 2026
$23.9M
Influence of placental impairments and maternal-fetal environment on neurodevelopmental outcomes in Congenital Heart DiseaseK01HL153942 · NHLBI · CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL OF LOS ANGELES · PI RAJAGOPALAN, VIDYA · 2020 to 2024
$735k
NHLBI NIH HHS K01 HL153942NLM NIH HHS T15 LM007059
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundCritical congenital heart disease (CHD) is associated with poor neurodevelopmental outcomes and long-term psychosocial morbidity. The pre-natal environment is increasingly recognized as a critical effector. However, the association of specific placental lesions with fetal brain volume in CHD remains unexamined.

methodsThis was a multi-site prospective, nested case-control study, that recruited pregnant women with typical fetal development and prenatally diagnosed fetal CHD. Fetal brain MRI was performed at 32.8 ± 3.0 weeks gestation. Placentas were examined pathologically after delivery. Clinical characteristics were gathered from self-reports and medical charts. Multiple linear regression modeling was performed in R with p < 0.05 considered significant.

resultsPlacental hypoplasia (weight <10th %ile) was associated with lower total fetal intracranial volume in CHD (p = 0.006) and combined (CHD + non-CHD) cohorts (p = 0.001). Maternal and/or fetal vascular malperfusion was also associated with lower total fetal intracranial volume in combined (p = 0.026), and non-CHD cohorts (p = 0.020). Presence of any placental pathology was associated with reduced total fetal intracranial volume (p = 0.047), an effect moderated by the presence of CHD (interaction term p = 0.037).

conclusionPlacental hypoplasia, vascular malperfusion, and the presence of any placental pathology are associated with decreased total intracranial volumes in-utero. Fetuses with CHD and concomitant placental lesions appear particularly susceptible. IMPACT: Placental vascular malperfusion is associated with reduced fetal intracranial volume. Placental hypoplasia (weight <10th %ile) is associated with smaller intracranial volumes in fetal congenital heart disease. Placental pathologies uniquely affect in-utero brain development in congenital heart disease. This study is the first to link fetal brain development to specific placental pathologies using standardized, reproducible criteria (Amsterdam) with comparative inclusion of a non-congenital heart disease cohort. Evidence builds that the in-utero environment impacts neurodevelopment in congenital heart disease; this study points to specific placental lesions that may mediate the pathophysiology underlying these observations.

Identifiers

PMID41501411

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.