World Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Day: Know 5 facts about the heart defect

14th February is marked as World Congenital Heart Defect (CHD) Awareness Day. The day is dedicated to raising public awareness for this condition. As, we all know, awareness is the key to prevention.

Since CHD is one of the most common birth defects seen among children, it is important to make clinicians, researchers, patients, families, and the general public aware of this condition.

Congenital heart defects (CHDs) may be caused by a mix of genetic and environmental factors, and the specific reason is yet unknown.

What is Congenital Heart Defect (CHD)?

The most common type of birth defect is congenital heart defect (CHD), which affects 8 out of every 1000 newborn children. CHD relates to defective structures in the heart.

These defects can include- heart valves, interior valves in the heart and arteries and veins carrying blood to the heart.

Early screening and diagnosis are important to prevent deterioration, and it is important for neonatologists to screen newborn babies thoroughly.

If detected and treated early, children with CHD can live normal, productive lives as adults. Babies with critical CHDs must be treated within one year of age.

5 facts about the heart defect

Approximately 100 to 200 deaths are due to unrecognized heart disease in newborns.

In the United States alone, about 40,000 children are born with heart defects each year.

Congenital heart defects are as common as autism.

There is no system to track CHD beyond early childhood.

The number of adults living with CHD is at least equal to the number of children living with CHD.