Congenital
Heart Disease
What is congenital heart disease?
Congenital heart disease is an abnormality of the heart that a
person has had since birth. In some cases, the condition is
diagnosed when the baby is still developing in the womb, but in
most cases the problem is not discovered until after the baby is
born.
There are many different types of congenital heart disease - the
heart’s vessels or valves may not be properly formed or there could
be holes between the chambers of the heart.
Congenital heart disease happens in about 7 in every 1,000
pregnancies. For more than half of these children, the condition is
a minor problem which either doesn’t need any treatment, or can be
successfully corrected with surgery.
Other conditions are more serious and sadly, some children with
congenital heart disease do not survive. However, thanks to
advances in diagnosis and treatment most children will grow up to
become adults and lead full and active lives.
What causes congenital heart disease?
In most cases, something has gone wrong in the
early development of the foetus. Often, we don’t understand why the
baby’s heart hasn’t developed normally.
Some heart conditions in babies are due to
faulty genes or chromosomal abnormalities or sometimes it can be
the result of the mother's health during pregnancy. Drugs, alcohol
and smoking taken during pregnancy can also have an affect.
How is congenital heart disease discovered?
Many heart problems are picked up when the mother has an
ultrasound scan during pregnancy, but sometimes the problem is not
detected until after the baby has been born. Some conditions may
not be discovered until the child is older or even an adult.
What treatment is there for congenital heart disease?
Treatment depends on the type and severity of the condition.
Some children won’t need any treatment, while others may need
medication or heart surgery. There are also other new techniques
and procedures which can be done to avoid the need for surgery.
What is Endocarditis?
Endocarditis is a rare but serious condition where the inner
lining of the heart can become infected. Some people who have
congenital heart disease are at a higher risk of endocarditis. See
our information sheet on
Endocarditis.
What support can I get if my baby is born with a heart
condition?
Learning that your child has a
congenital heart condition can be very distressing. They will
probably be under the care of a specialist centre, where there will
health professional’s who can offer you support and help you to
cope with the situation.
You may also find it helpful to contact some
of the organisations on our
Children's Helplines and Funding information
sheet.
Where can I get more information?
Understanding your child's heart
resources.
Available now: Aortic
stenosis, Coarctation of the aorta, Large ventricular septal
defect, Pulmonary stenosis, Tetralogy of Fallot, Transposition of
the great arteries
Coming soon: Single ventricle
circulation, Pulmonary atresia, Hypoplastic left heart, Tricuspid
atresia, Double inlet ventricle
yheart our website
for young people with heart conditions
We'll tell you what we want DVD for teenagers
growing up with heart problems.
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