Women's Health Weekly
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Congenital Heart Disease
Maternal p200 antibody levels correlate with degree of fetal heart damage
March 3rd, 2005
The level of maternal p200 antibodies correlates with the degree of fetal heart damage in cases of a serious form of congenital heart disease known as AV heart block, scientists in Sweden have discovered. AV heart block develops when a certain type of antibody is transferred from the mother to the fetus during pregnancy. The antibodies are targeted against endogenous proteins and cause the inflammation and calcification of the fetal cardiac conduction system. One in three of such cases are fatal to the fetus, and approximately 70% of the babies born alive require life-long pacemaker treatment. The mothers normally have a rheumatic disease, such as Sjogren's syndrome or...
Source: Women's Health Weekly (2005-03-03)
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