A ventricular septal defect (VSD) is a heart condition that is present at birth and often is called a congenital defect. A VSD occurs when there is a hole (defect) in the wall (septum) that separates the two lower chambers of the heart, called ventricles. This hole between the heart chambers disrupts the flow of blood and oxygen to the body. 

To learn more about VSDs click on one of the following links or scroll down the page.

What We Know About Ventricular Septal Defects

• How often do ventricular septal defects occur?
• What problems do children with ventricular septal defects have?

What We Still Do Not Know About Ventricular Septal Defects

• What causes ventricular septal defects?
• Can ventricular septal defects be prevented?

Resources for Families and Individuals Affected by Ventricular Septal Defect

How often do ventricular septal defects occur?
A recent study in Atlanta revealed that 1,665 babies were born with a VSD from 1998 through 2005 (1). In other words, about 42 out of every 10,000 births in Atlanta each year has a VSD.

What problems do children with a ventricular septal defect have?
If the hole is small, usually no treatment is needed because many of these defects will close on their own. However, a baby with a VSD should be checked regularly by a doctor to make sure that the hole eventually closes properly and that more serious problems do not occur.

If a defect does not close on its own, the baby often will need surgery. If not treated with surgery, some babies can have additional problems in life. These problems can include:

• Heart failure
• Infections in the heart, often called Infective endocarditis
• Leaking of the valve that separates the left ventricle from the aorta, often called aortic insufficiency
• Abnormal heart rhythms, called arrhythmias
• Delayed growth and development
• High blood pressure in the lungs

Some children with a VSD will need to take antibiotics before undergoing dental work and certain other surgical procedures. Some babies and children will need to take additional medications for blood pressure and other issues.

Luckily, the diagnosis and treatment of VSDs have improved greatly. As a result, a child with a simple heart defect can grow to adulthood and live a normal, active, and productive life.

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What causes ventricular septal defects?
The cause or causes of ventricular septal defects is unknown. This type of defect often occurs along with other heart defects. Scientists generally agree that multiple causes seem to be involved.
CDC works with many researchers to study risk factors that can increase the chance of having a baby with a ventricular septal defect, as well as outcomes of babies with this type of defect. Following are examples of what our research has found:

• The environment, specifically carbon monoxide, might be a risk factor for having a baby with a VSD (2) although more research is needed.
• No large differences exist in rates of VSDs between White babies and non-White babies (3).
• No strong relationship exists between caffeine use by a mother and the risk for her having a child with a VSD (4).
• The rate of VSDs has been increasing from year to year (3).

Can ventricular septal defects be prevented?
There is no known way to prevent this type of defect, but some of the problems that a child with a VSD can have later in life can be prevented or lessened if the defect is found early.

Even so, mothers can take steps before and during pregnancy to have a healthy pregnancy and avoid some birth defects. Steps include taking a daily multivitamin with folic acid (400 micrograms), not smoking, and not drinking alcohol during pregnancy.

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American Heart Association

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Mayo Clinic

Medline


References

1. Prevalence of Congenital Heart Defects in Metropolitan Atlanta, 1998-2005. J Pediatr. 2008 Jul 25. [Epub ahead of print]
2. Gilboa SM, Mendola P, Olshan AF, Langlois PH, Savitz DA, Loomis D, et al. Relation between ambient air quality and selected birth defects, seven county study, Texas, 1997-2000. Am J Epidemiol. 2005;162(3): 238–52.
3. Lorenzo DB, Correa A, Erickson JD. Racial and temporal variations in the prevalence of heart defects. Pediatrics. 2001;107(3):1–8
4. Browne ML, Bell EM, Druschel CM, Gensburg LJ, Mitchell AA, Lin AE, et al. Maternal caffeine consumption and risk of cardiovascular malformation. Birth Defects Res Part A Clin Mol Teratol. 2007;79:533–43.
   

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Date: March 11, 2009
Content source: National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities