What is Congenital Heart Defects

WHAT IS CONGENITAL HEART DEFECTS?

The word ‘congenital’ means ‘present from birth’. Congenital heart defects are the abnormalities associated with the heart structure from the time of birth. Congenital heart defects change the normal blood flow through the heart. The following are the types of congenital heart defects:

• Defective interior walls

• Defective valves

• Defective arteries and veins

WHEN DOES CONGENITAL HEART DEFECT DEVELOP?

A baby’s heart starts to take shape and starts beating during the first 40 days of the gestation period (the time the fetus spends inside the mother’s womb) All major blood vessels begin to form eventually. Congenital heart defects also develop during this gestation period.

WHY DOES CONGENITAL HEART DEFECTS OCCUR?

During pregnancy, if the mother has increased blood sugar, takes improper medications, consumes alcohol, smokes, or suffers any viral infections – it can lead to congenital heart defects in the child. Congenital heart defects can also occur due to genetics.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF A CONGENITAL HEART DEFECT?

Some congenital heart defects cause no symptoms at early stages. For some people, symptoms appear later in life. The symptoms include:

• Abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmia)

• Bluish skin or fingernails

• Shortness of breath

• Tiring quickly

• Swelling of organs

HOW TO FIX CONGENITAL HEART DEFECTS?

Congenital heart defects can be fixed with the help of certain corrective surgeries. These surgeries are needed if the defect can harm the baby’s long-term health or well-being. The treatment depends on the type of congenital heart defect that the person has.

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