What Is a Congenital Heart Defect?

Congenital heart disease is heart disease in the newborn, and includes congenital heart defects, congenital arrythmias, and cardiomyopathies. Congenital heart disease, which is also referred to as CHD, is a defect of the heart that exists primarily at birth. CHD can describe a wide variety of different abnormalities affecting the heart. CHD occurs when the heart or blood vessels near the heart does not develop properly before birth. Therefore, the heart does not pump because it is not completely developed. Also the blood flow is obstructed in the heart of the vessels nearby, causing an abnormal flow of blood through the heart. Blood flow obstructions put a strain on the heart muscle causing the heart to work harder and beat faster. Abnormal blood flow usually occurs when there is a hole in the walls of the heart and may be an abnormal connection between two arteries outside the heart.

A congenital heart defect is a structural problem (or defect) in the heart that is present at birth. A baby's heart begins to develop shortly after conception During development, structural defects can occur. These defects can involve the walls of the heart, the valves of the heart, and the arteries and veins near the heart. Congenital heart defects can disrupt the normal flow of blood through the heart.

The blood flow can:

• Slow down
• Go in the wrong direction or to the wrong place
• Be blocked completely

Congenital heart defect is the most common type of major birth defect. Each year, more than 30,000 babies in the United States are born with congenital heart defects.

Source http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/ & wikipedia.org