What Are Congenital Heart Defects?
Congenital (kon-JEN-i-tal) heart defects are
problems with the hearts structure that are present at birth. These
defects can involve the interior walls of the heart, valves inside the heart,
or the arteries and veins that carry blood to the heart or out to the body.
Congenital heart defects change the normal flow of blood through the heart.
There are many different types of congenital heart
defects. They range from simple defects with no symptoms to complex defects
with severe, life-threatening symptoms.
Congenital heart defects are the most common type of
birth defect, affecting 8 of every 1,000 newborns. Each year, more than 35,000
babies in the United States are born with congenital heart defects. Most of
these defects are simple conditions that are easily fixed or need no
treatment.
A small number of babies are born with complex
congenital heart defects that need special medical attention soon after birth.
Over the past few decades, the diagnosis and treatment of these complex defects
has greatly improved.
As a result, almost all children with complex heart
defects grow to adulthood and can live active, productive lives because their
heart defects have been effectively treated.
Most people with complex heart defects continue to
need special heart care throughout their lives. They may need to pay special
attention to certain issues that their condition could affect, such as health
insurance, employment, pregnancy and contraception, and preventing infection
during routine health procedures. Today in the United States, about 1 million
adults are living with congenital heart defects.
December 2007
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