Congenital Heart Defects materials - B

CONGENITAL HEART DEFECTS

2014

Congenital heart defects are the most common type
of birth defect. Learn about prevention and diagnosis.

Form Approved
OMB No: 0920-0956
Exp. Date: March 31, 2016

This fact sheet will explain how congenital
heart defects are caused and how they
can be prevented. It will also tell you how
healthcare providers find heart defects,
which enables parents to plan.

Take important steps to help prevent congenital heart defects.

A diagnosis helps families plan.

Congenital Heart Defects
The most common birth defect in the U.S.
4,000,000 babies
born in the
United States
each year.

40,000 babies born
with a congenital
heart defect in
the United States
each year.

40,000 out of 4 million babies are born with a heart defect each year in the U.S.

What is a congenital heart defect?
Congenital heart defects are conditions present at birth
that affect how a baby’s heart is made and the way it
works. They are the most common type of birth defects.
In the United States, about 40,000 infants are born with a
heart defect each year.

Some congenital heart defects can be prevented.
Scientists don’t know the cause of most congenital
heart defects. Some babies have heart defects because
of changes in their genes or chromosomes. Congenital
heart defects may be caused by both changes in genes or
chromosomes and other risk factors, such as being obese
or having diabetes.

Some congenital heart defects can be found before birth.
Knowing if a baby has a heart defect before birth can help
families plan for the future.
Some heart defects can be found at birth, because they
can cause a baby to have bluish tinted nails or lips or
troubled breathing. You may wish to speak with your
health care provider about whether your hospital screens
all babies soon after birth for congenital heart defects.
Other heart defects are not found until later in life, during
childhood or even adulthood. If a healthcare provider
thinks a congenital heart defect is present, the baby can
have several tests to diagnose the defect.

For more information, visit
http://www.address_here
or call 1-800-CDC-INFO (800-232-4636).

Women can take some important steps before and during
pregnancy to help prevent congenital heart defects. These
actions can increase the chance of having a healthy baby.
Work to get to
and stay at a
healthy weight

Control diabetes

Quit smoking

TAKE

FOLIC 400MG
DAILY
ACID

Look for a multivitamin
that contains 400 mcg
of folic acid.

National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention