Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Month

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By Jenna Stoltz

As we go further into February, most people don’t know that February is Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Month. Congenital heart defects can affect the structure of the heart and the way it works. It can affect how the blood flows through the heart and then out through the rest of the body. Congenital heart defects can vary from mild, which could be a small hole in the heart, to severe, which could be missing or poorly formed parts of the heart. Congenital heart defects can be present at birth and they are also the most common type of birth defect. About 1 in 4 babies are born with congenital heart defects. Congenital heart defects are usually diagnosed at a young age and carry on throughout a person’s lifetime. As medical care and treatment have advanced, babies with congenital heart defects are living longer and having healthier lives.

If you wish to learn more facts about congenital heart defects, go to https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/heartdefects/facts.html.