Congenital Heart Disease

Causes & Prevention

Preventing Congenital Heart Disease

There are a combination of factors that can increase the risk of an infant having one or more congenital ("present at birth") heart conditions. Here are some suggestions about them:

  • Avoid alcohol and other drugs during pregnancy.

Causes and Risk Factors for Congenital Heart Disease

The word "congenital" means "present at birth." Although the causes of congenital heart disease are unknown, there are some known risk factors. These include:

  • Congenital heart disease in the baby's mother or father

What Does It Mean When Medical Experts Say "Race" Is A Risk Factor For Certain Diseases?

Editor's Note:

"Race" is sometimes mentioned as a risk factor in the development of certain cancers and a number of other diseases. When you read this in a discussion about an illness, note that the explanation seldom refers to anything biological. Instead, it usually refers to behavior, such as eating habits. The kinds of behavior usually mentioned as risk factors are culturally determined. They are not genetic or biological.

Ventricular septal defect is the most common heart defect

VSD, Roger's Disease and Interventricular Septal Defect are terms that may be used to describe the most common congenital heart defect. It is caused by a hole in the septum.