Congenital Heart Disease – Causes

Congenital heart disease (CHD) is one of the heart diseases that is not caused by lifestyle. Rather, congenital heart disease is a problem in the heart’s structure and the way it works, caused by abnormal development before birth. Anything that is “congenital” is present at birth. However, although congenital heart disease is actually present at birth, its symptoms may not be obvious until later.

Congenital Heart Disease Varies

The term “congenital heart disease” (CHD) is used to describe a variety of problems that affect the heart at birth. The American Heart Association states that approximately 35,000 births each year result in babies with some type of congenital heart disease. In the first 5 years of life, congenital heart disease is responsible for more deaths than any other birth defect.

There are two main types of congenital heart disease: cyanotic and non-cyanotic.

Cyanotic: The name refers to a bluish tint of the skin. This bluish tint is caused by the relative lack of oxygen in the blood. Congenital heart diseases in this category include these more common ones, listed alphabetically:

* Ebstein’s anomaly
* Hypoplastic left heart
* Hypoplastic right heart
* Tetralogy of Fallot
* Total anomalous pulmonary venous return
* Transposition of the great vessels
* Tricuspid atresia
* Truncus arteriosus

Non-cyanotic: In these cases, the skin does not retain a bluish tint. Congenital heart diseases in this category include:

* Aortic stenosis
* Atrial septal defect
* Atrioventricular canal
* Coarctation of the aorta
* Patent ductus arteriosus
* Pulmonic stenosis
* Ventricular septal defect

Congenital Heart Disease Causes

The more common causes of congenital heart disease are chromosome abnormalities, maternal diseases, and environmental factors.

Chromosome abnormalities that can cause congenital heart diseases include those such as Down’s syndrome, where an extra #21 chromosome is present. About half of children with Down’s syndrome also have congenital heart disease.

Maternal diseases – diseases in the babies’ mothers – can increase the risks of the baby developing congenital heart disease. A well-known example is the effect on the baby when a mother experiences measles or rubella during her pregnancy.

An environmental factor such as chemicals or drugs can also be the root cause of congenital heart disease. Mothers who drink alcohol or take drugs during pregnancy do so at the risk of congenital heart disease for the baby.