Congenital heart disease (CHD) can lead to under vascularization of placenta, which can affect fetal development and subsequent neurological outcome. No data are currently available regarding neurodevelopmental outcome of children born to mothers with CHD.

Characteristics of pregnancy, birth and neonatal period, items of neurodevelopment during infancy recorded in health book, need for speech therapist, physiotherapist, school helper and grade repetition were retrospectively collected in children under 10 years old born to CHD mothers followed up in 5 French congenital heart disease centres, and compared to a control population (children and brotherhood from mother consulting in 2 paediatric traumatology emergency rooms). Children under 7 years old of both groups were prospectively screened for neurodevelopmental trouble using the neurodevelopmental test developed by the “Haute Autorité de Santé” (HAS).

One hundred and nineteen children from 83 CHD mothers and 122 children from 118 control mothers were included. Children from CHD mothers were born earlier (37.9±2.6 vs. 39.3±1.5 WA) and with a higher rate of prematurity (17.6 vs. 4.9%). They displayed lower birth weights (2910±650 vs. 3370±500g), lower APGAR scores at 1minute (8.6±2.3 vs. 9.3±1.5) and a smaller head circumference at 9 months (44.7±1.4 vs. 45.3±1.4cm). There was no difference in the age of walking and head circumference at 24 months, as well as grade repetitions and need for speech therapist, physiotherapist, or school helper. The HAS neurodevelopmental test suspected trouble in 5.9% of children from CHD mothers and 11.5% of control children (NS).

Despite increased prematurity and worse APGAR score, children from mothers with CHD appear not to show symptoms of neurodevelopment impairment in our study.