An echocardiographic study on asymptomatic multiple interatrial septal defects in newborns.

In a prospective study on the integrity of the interatrial septum in the neonates, multiple interatrial septal defects or openings with shunting were discovered in nine neonates by means of the color flow mapping technique used in their first week of life among 130 Chinese neonates. Eight of the nine neonates had two openings each, and the remaining one had four openings. Thus a total of 20 openings were found in the 9 neonates. Openings located between the tip of the flap valve and the superior limbus of the foramen ovale were classified as "location A openings" (valve-like openings). Those located at the flap valve itself were classified as "location B openings" (fenestrations). Each of the 9 neonates had one opening at location A, eight of them had another opening at location B; one had three openings at location B. Six of the nine neonates were followed up at age of one month, three months and six months by means of color-flow mapping, with a total of six openings at location A and eight openings at location B. Four out of the six openings of location A and seven out of the eight openings at location B closed spontaneously before the age of six months. In conclusion, seven percent (9/130) of these Chinese neonates have multiple interatrial openings. The openings tend to close spontaneously, regardless of their locations.