Congenital heart defects (CHDs) are problems with the structure of the
heart, present at birth, arising when a fetus's heart does not develop
normally during pregnancy. They are the most common type of birth defect.
They change how the heart pumps blood — making it flow too slowly, go the
wrong way, or be blocked completely. The most common types:
- Septal defects — "a hole in the heart", openings in the wall between the
left and right sides - Heart valve defects
- Defects in the large blood vessels carrying blood in and out of the
heart
They range from very mild problems that never need treatment to
life-threatening problems at birth. The most serious are **critical
congenital heart disease**, where babies usually need surgery in the first
year of life — while **milder defects may not show up until childhood or
adulthood**.
What can actually be changed
Researchers often do not know what causes congenital heart defects. Gene
changes sometimes cause them, either inherited or occurring during pregnancy,
and in most cases CHDs do not run in families.
Against that, three factors stand out because something can be done about
them:
| Factor | What helps |
|---|---|
| Diabetes before pregnancy, or developing in the first 3 months — diabetes developing later in pregnancy is not a major risk for heart defects | Carefully controlling blood glucose before and during pregnancy lowers the baby's risk |
| Phenylketonuria (PKU), a rare inherited disorder affecting how the body uses a protein in food | Eating a low-protein diet before getting pregnant lowers the risk |
| Rubella (German measles) during pregnancy | Vaccination, before conception |
All three have the same timing: before pregnancy, or in its first weeks —
which for many people is before they know they are pregnant. That is the
argument for managing diabetes and PKU as part of planning rather than as part
of prenatal care.
Also: smoking or secondhand smoke, and certain medicines — including
ACE inhibitors for blood pressure and retinoic acids for acne. If you
are pregnant or planning to be, talk to your provider about everything you
take.
Risk does rise if you, the other parent, or an existing child has a congenital
heart defect.
Signs
Congenital heart defects do not cause pain. What they cause depends on the
type, number and severity:
- Cyanosis — a bluish colour to skin, lips and fingernails, from too
little oxygen in the blood - Fatigue — an unusually sleepy baby, who becomes very tired during
feeding - Poor blood flow
A baby who tires while feeding is the sign most likely to be dismissed as
normal, and it is one of the three.
Source: MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine.
Licence: CC0 1.0 (public domain) · Adapted from medlineplus.gov
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