What is the Cause a Congenital Heart Defect?
Congenital heart defects do not occur in a majority of children, but when they do occur there often is not a known cause. Sometimes a problem can happen when the baby is still developing in their mother’s uterus, during the formation and growth of the heart. There are some ties to congenital heart defects and genetics. Several genetic syndromes, such as down and noonan syndromes, have cardiac malformations. Environmental exposures to the mother early in pregnancy can also be associated with congenital heart defects including: Some medications for seizures, acne or bipolar psychiatric disorder Having viral diseases, such as rubella (German measles), phenylketonuria and diabetes Exposure to certain chemicals Alcohol abuse and drug use Fetal echocardiograms may help detect problems as early as mid-pregnancy.
