Heart birth defects are the most common birth defect in the world. This is a set of cardiovascular pathologies that in recent years, thanks to technological and scientific development, have been largely controlled. Anyway, there are different levels and, in some cases, they can be very dangerous for the baby. It is not known exactly what factor triggers these health problems, but a series of parameters have been identified that multiply the risk.
The most important thing when faced with this type of problem is to diagnose what kind of heart disease the newborn suffers from and proceed to apply the most appropriate treatment for each case. Birth defects can occur in different ways and with different levels of severity, depending on how they affect the heart: sometimes some part of it is damaged and other times its functioning is irregular and, for example, blood does not flow through the heart. body as it should.
Treatment, therefore, depends on the type of pathology. The symptoms vary depending on the severity and characteristics of the disease and may lead, in some cases, to subjecting the child to surgical operations. The signals emitted by the disease are very varied and, sometimes, are almost undetectable to the naked eye. The most common are cyanosis (bluish nails, skin and lips due to lack of oxygen), altered respiratory rhythm, fatigue and permanent drowsiness.
Once the problem is identified, the solution is decided. Some babies will even have to undergo surgery more than once. Others will undergo cardiac catheterization, which involves inserting a long tube into a blood vessel to reach the heart. Complete healing is not always achieved, but in many cases sufficient levels of heart function are achieved.
In most heart defects at birth, the specific causes are unknown. There is a suspicion that in many cases the appearance of these problems is due to a combination of environmental and genetic factors. It can be influenced by the mother's lifestyle, her diet, her health problems or the medications she consumes. Smoking and drinking alcohol excessively are also risk factors. Having diabetes before pregnancy increases the baby's risk of having a congenital heart defect. The same thing happens if you have rubella during pregnancy.
The most common types of heart birth defects are atrial septal defect, ventricular septal defect, and atrioventricular septal defect. Among the most serious are pulmonary atresia, double right ventricular outlet, coarctation of the aorta, Ebstein's anomaly, tetralogy of Fallot and left ventricular hypoplasia syndrome, among others.
