Congenital literally means "with or dating from birth." The terms congenital heart defect ("CHD") and congenital heart disease are often used interchangeably, but the word defect is more clinically accurate. A congenital heart defect occurs when the heart or blood vessels near the heart do not develop normally before birth.
According to the American Heart Association, nearly one out of every hundred live births, or approximately 34,000 babies a year, are born with one or more CHDs which are the most frequent form of congenital birth defects in newborns. There are almost one million Americans living today with congenital heart defects.
Over thirty-five defects have been medically recognized. Some defects are minor enough to escape detection for years, while many others are immediately life-threatening and require complex surgery, massive regimens of medical care and/or heart transplants.
What causes congenital heart defects? In most cases, scientists and doctors don't know why they occur. Some studies point to viral diseases such as German measles or certain genetic conditions effecting multiple organs such as Downs Syndrome. The incidence of poor prenatal conditions such as excessive drug or alcohol use can also be a factor in some cases. But the fact remains that only in less than one out of three cases, scientists can point a finger at a "cause." Many defects are suspected to develop very early in embryonic life, as the heart develops into a remarkably complex four-chambered organ, a process that is still not very well understood.