Congenital Heart Defect

Congenital heart defects are the most common kind of fatal birth defect in newborns and affect 1 out of every 120 live births.

Approximately 35,000 babies are born with some form of a heart defect every year and more babies will die during their first year of life from a heart defect than any other reason. The heart begins forming and developing very early in fetal development, usually before a woman realizes that she has conceived.

A congenital heart defect is a problem within the heart that is present at birth. Congenital heart defects occur early on in pregnancy when the heart is forming. A heart defect can sometimes be diagnosed on a prenatal ultrasound. However, some children are not diagnosed with it until other symptoms arise.

Treatment involves medication and surgery.

Comments: Congenital-Heart-Defect

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stacie03 - 124 days ago.
melanyng - I have a 2yr old DD who has TGA, we however did not know before hand that she had it, so we had to wait until she was 2 weeks old to have the surgery, normally they would do it with-in days of birth at our hosp. (UofM), Anyways surgery went great, and didn't take as long as they had told us it would, she had a little trouble gaining weight in the begining and needed a special formula (Portagen is what she was on I believe) she was on this for several weeks and then switched to breast milk we had stored, and then formula, she came home 10 days after surgery, we had a nurse visit 2 times a week and weekly appointments with our Pedi in the beginning. We saw are cardiologist every month, then every other, then every 6 months and were just cleared to be seen yearly. Today at 2yrs (next month) she is doing wonderfully, we have had no other complications with her heart and if you weren't aware of her condition you would never know. Sorry so long hope this helps you a little. :)

xxjavanaxx - 172 days ago.
Hi everyone! My name is Javana, im 21 and pregnant with my first baby. Im having a little boy and his name is Jaden! Im jus full of so many emotions right now but i cant wait to meet my angel! My pregnancy as been really good. But around 30 weeks my boyfriend and i found out that our son has a heart defect called Atrioventricular (AV) Canal Defect. This heart defect is also very common with babies who have Down Syndrome! There is a 70% chance he will have it. WORDS COULDNT EVEN EXPLAIN HOW I FELT WHEN I HEARD THE NEWS I WAS NUMB FROM HEAD TO TOE! For the last few weeks i been so sad and hurting for my son but i know deep down in my heart he will be fine! I have a really wonderful OB/GYN and an excellent team Maternal Fetal Medicine doctors who have been watching my son and makin sure is okay and growin healthy! The good news is that my son is very strong nothing else is wrong with him. i mean nothing! All his other organs and body parts are 100% normal and he's also measuring just like a normal baby would! So that means my son may be normal with a heart defect without havin Down Syndrome! I was happy to hear that news so im keepin my fingers crossed! BUT EVEN IF MY SON DOES HAVE DOWN SYNDROME I WILL LOVE HIM JUST THE SAME BECUZ HE IS MY ANGEL AND IS A BLESSING! Also some other good news i will be able to have a vaginal birth plus i will be able to take my angel home wit me after he is born becuz he wont need any surgery till he's around 4-6 months and the surgery will completely correct his heart with a 95% success rate so im also thankful for that! GOD KNOWS I LOVE MY SON AND I WILL GIVE MY LIFE FOR HIM! HE IS THE BEST THING THATS EVER HAPPEN TO ME!

gempen - 192 days ago.
I am 21 weeks pregnant with my 3rd child and have been told that my baby has Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome and Aortic Stenosis. As you can imagine I am scared out of my skin. Anyone have any advice? I would love to talk to someone who has been or is going through this.

melanyng - 240 days ago.
Anyone have good outcomes with the switch procedure surgery thats necessary to fix transposition of the great vessels. Baby is still in my belly but I'm so worried as this is a new diagnosis just found out at my 35 week appt, I'm now 37 weeks. Also, were there any other illnesses or defects associated with the transposition?

skoehn - 240 days ago.
Amandaduedec17- I lost my first baby to congenital heart defects. She was born with DS and had associated heart defects, but rather than the typical AV canal, she had 3 heart conditions. She died at 5 weeks old after complications of the Norwood procedure. I'm very sorry for your loss. I'm now (unexpectedly) pregnant wtih number 2 and quite concerned.

AmandaDueDec17 - 243 days ago.
sydbabe- I had my little boy in 05, he was born perfcetly healthy then in Jan 08 I gave birth to my little girl sydney who had AVSd/hypoplastic left heart syndrome, she passed away when he was 4 months old.. she had underwent open heart surgery when she was a month old to make her into a single ventricle baby...Im pregnant again and due in December with another boy who is completely healthy. So my middle child ended up with a heart problem as well. I don't think there is anything or anyway to explain it.. i racked my brain over and over but I guess heart defects just happen.

sydbabe - 243 days ago.
Hi, my youngest son was born with Hypoplastic left heart syndrome. We didnt know this until he was 12 hours old, he had open heart surgery when he was 5 days old and again when he was 3 months old, he also needs it again next year. Im due to have my third child on the 11th of the 11th. And was just wondering, my first son was heathly and my unborn son is healthy, why did my middle son get this condition and does anybody know anyone that has it as well?

cmw2007 - 383 days ago.
Hey all, my son is now 4 months old he was born with COA and aortic stenosis. When I was still prego they thought he might have it but when we went to a neonatalologist, he said everything was fine after 2 vists. Cody came by c-section cause they thought he was going to be over 9lbs, he was only 7lbs. 14ozs. The Dr. heard a murmur and it wouldnt go away so he wanted us to go to the cardio Dr.! Cody was rushed into emergency surgry when he was only 6 days old. They said his kidneys were failing and he was starting to go into shock! The Dr.s saved his life and he is doing much better now buts always in the back of my mind! He just starting rolling over on his own and is also cutting is first tooth! He is such a brave boy and we cant image life without him!!

THITHI - 394 days ago.
hi, I'm 21 weeks nad our doctor said that our little boy has a heart defect, is called ' ventricular septal defect ' or ' hole in the heath' ... tomorrow we will known how big it is....... Does anyone known something about??? Any advise , something??? I need help!!!!!!!

dore - 424 days ago.
Hello , my daughter was born Jan 7 and the 3-th day they discovered tetrology of falot with pulminary artresia. Could somebody PLEASE e-mail me at astridwst@verizon.net who has /had the same happen ??? We are so scared , but thankful with our sweet girl !!

maybeagirl - 448 days ago.
hello mums. i got my baby girl on 23.12.2008 by c.section. am so happy to have her. she is still in hospital because of prematurity and low birth weight. i hope you gonna pray for me . enjoy the rest of your preggo and stay healthy.

jduve - 459 days ago.
I didn't realize this page was on this website but am so happy to hear others out there in my situation. At 20 weeks gestation I was sent to the hospital to have a fetal echo done and it was found that our daughter has Double Outlet Right Ventricle and a hole between the right and left ventricles. Does anyone have experience with this or advice? They are recommending an amnio but I am uncertain due to the risks.

tink21 - 461 days ago.
My son was born with transposition of the great artheries and I strongly advise any parents dealing with a baby w/ heart deffects to have you baby threated at childrens hospital in L.A. The place is amazing, the nurses are great, they look after their little patients as if they were their own. Dr. Starnes is the main surgeon and he is AMAZING!!! Goggle this guy, he has ALOT of experience with little hearts. I hope this helps if u have any questions please feel free to comment.

marley76 - 482 days ago.
Im having aproblem and figured I would share it with all of you. I had another ultrasound done on Thursday and the doctor told me that they found a 'bright spot' on my baby's heart. He told me that it is very common and usually doesn't mean thats anything is wrong but he scheduled me to have a fetal echocardiogram done tomorrow (Tuesday) just to be sure that everything was fine. Obviously I am terrified but I am trying not to make too big a deal about it until I know for sure what is going on. Have any of you had any expirence with this or know anything about it that you could share with me? I would really appericiate any information that anyone has. Thank you!

RobinG - 500 days ago.
Has anyone ever heard of two vents coming from one chamber and going to the appropriate places and being a 'variation of the norm' and non life threatening? My 13 year old has it plus a pin hole murmur and I cant find anything on it ~ TX!

seguin - 512 days ago.
My daughter is now 17 months old. I wrote earlier this year (April 2008). My daughter was born full term. They told us she had a heart murmur (which almost every baby is born with half my family included). They told us it would heal itself which most do in the first 6 months to 1 year of age. At 9 weeks I had to rush my daughter into our local ER as she was going limp and wasnt breathing right. We found out then that it wasnt a heart murmur but CHD!!! She underwent heart surgery at The Hospital For Sick Children in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They fixed her COA (coarctation of the aorta). She now needs more surgery as they found more wrong with her heart. They thought it would fix itself but instead it has gotten worse. She has Mitral Stenosis. It is all under my BLOG Page. For those mommies who havent had their babies yet that have CHD if you want to talk please add me to your page. (VIP NAME SEGUIN)

M3G4N - 523 days ago.
Hi Ladies! I have been a member since I found out I was pregnant with my son, who is now 11 weeks old. I have a two year old daughter who was born with CHD. The issue was found 27 weeks gestation. When she was first born, the doctors were more than sure she had Williams Syndrome. Well, after blood work it was confirmed that infact she did not have William Syndrom, but was born with the 'heart' of a WS child. The doctor was very surprised by this, because he had never came across a patient with the 'heart' of a WS child without having the actual syndrome. Since my daughter was born with CHD I had multiple ultrasounds with my son to check his heart and make sure everything was going well. At our 28 weeks ultrasound it was thumbs up! Everything looked to be doing great. When he was born, the doctor came and told us he had a tiny heart mumur. Because of his sister having CHD, we were referred to the pediactric cardiologist. The doctor came into the room and told me, he believe he had WS because he had the heart of a WS child. Once again, he doesn't have WS but the heart of a WS child. This is not a common thing. To have the heart of a WS child, but not the syndrome. I would like to know if there are any other mothers out there that have children with this type of CHD?

pelle8 - 525 days ago.
I TOOK A SONOGRAM ON 10/10/2008, AND WS TOLD MY SON IS HEART PROBLEMS. I'M NOT SURE HOW SEVER IT IS WON'T FIND OUT UNTIL 10/20/2008. I HAVE A HEART MUMUR, AND I'M WONDERING IF HE TAKING AFTER ME. NONE OF MY OTHER KIDS HAAAVE ANY PROBLEMS, SO I'M WORRIED OF WHAT THIS OUTCOME IS GONNA BE.

webb211 - 538 days ago.
Natty 1982 - my 6 year old son has Tricuspid Atresia with a few other major heart defects thrown in the mix. He is doing really great so far and just recently had his 3rd open heart surgery. I am part of a support group specifically for tricuspid and pulmonary atresia (right sided defects). It is an incredible group from all over the world. Please join us there for the specific support you need. The details are: www.hypoplasticrighthearts.org You will need to fill in the membership screen to join - but it wont take long. God Bless Dawn

natty1982 - 540 days ago.
My son with just diagnosed with Tricuspid Atresia. Anyone know anything about that?

megam - 629 days ago.
my son was born with a stenosis of the left aortic valve. He is 6 months and so far, they have not had to do anything for him. He is wonderful, developing just as he should be. Does anyone else's baby have this?

RobinG - 635 days ago.
There is a risk of a misscarriage with an amnio, ~ even if it is only 1 % that is still a risk and being only 19 weeks if you did go into labor your baby is at risk. I know some who do want it but wait til the baby could survive should labor occur ~ I think in your heart you need to ask yourself if there are more defects and the baby can survive will you terminate, if there are more defects and baby will not survive will you allow your baby to be born when labor occurs and see what happens ~ whether to have an amnio really depends on what you will do with the information they give you ~ I care for a specials needs boy who has Velo Cardio Facial Syndrome ~ he has had two major openheart surgeries and lung surgery and therapy ~ he was given a 30% chance of success in surgery and only 9 months to live ~ he is 4 years old now and such a blessing :) I talked to many about why some consider terminating when there is a problem and many say they would still let nature take its course which ever direction it went ~ Only you can answer that question. If you dont want to terminate and do want to know I'd ask to wait til at least 28 weeks. And consider more involved scans with a specialist ~ ((())) hugs ~ my doc wanted me to have an amnio ~ I was 40 when Hunter was born I refused. I wouldnt terminate even if there was a concern so I saw no reason for it ~ I just insisted on the best scans I could get and the papp-a test which looks for chromosome abnormalities :).

LEESAB - 636 days ago.
Hi all, Im 19 weeks and have just found out my baby girl has a heart defect, my doctor suggested that I should have an amniocentisis to see if there are and other defects, Im not sure wether to have this or not. Has anyone has one and could you let me know what happened. I really need some advice.

Ethansmom08 - 636 days ago.
I gave birth to a full term baby boy who had HLHS in February of this year. If anyone has any questions about HLHS, I would love to talk. I am still trying to get over the shock and horror of what we went through. Please send me a message if I can be of help to anyone.

2wonderfulgirls - 640 days ago.
HI everyone , we have a baby due in August that has multiple heart ploblems. Two VSD's , hypoplastic left heart syndrome, coarctation of the aorta, and possible valve problems. Would love someone to talk too.