Congenital heart defects are problems with the heart's structure that occur during fetal development. They are the most common birth defect. There are some 35 different heart defects including holes in the heart, problems with blood vessels or valves, obstructed blood flow, or multiple defects. The exact causes of congenital heart problems are not usually known.
Major heart defects are typically discovered during a prenatal ultrasound by your obstetrician. Your obstetrician might then have a specialized doctor, called a pediatric cardiologist, confirm the diagnosis through an echocardiogram (echo), which lets doctors see the size of the heart chambers and how well they function. An echo also can indicate how the valves are working.
Most congenital heart defects can be surgically repaired. The surgery performed and the timing of surgery depends on the diagnosis. Defects can require minor or major surgical repairs and some will require more than one surgery. Families will find that, once treated, most infants born with congenital heart defects go on to live happy and healthy lives.
A helpful Web site is the
American Heart Association.