A baby’s heart development starts early in pregnancy and is almost completed at 6 to 8 weeks. The baby will have heart defects if any derangement occurs at this crucial period. This is called CHD, which stands for congenital heart disease.
Some congenital diseases can be there right from the time of birth, although they might show the signs after a certain period of time. But the good news is now various CHDs can be detected at an early stage helping in immediate treatment.
A heart defect is the most common congenital disability. If 1000 babies are born, 8 to 12 babies have newborn heart problems. Every year nearly 13 lakh new babies are born with heart disease globally. In India alone, 2 to 2.5 lakh babies are born with heart defects yearly.
Underweight the baby
Recurrent cold and fever
Feeding difficulties
Excessive sweating
Change in skin colour
Many congenital heart abnormalities are not accompanied by obvious symptoms. However, severe or many cardiac defects in infants might result in the following symptoms:
Environmental factors and exposure to certain substances in the early weeks of pregnancy, when the baby's heart is forming, can increase the baby's risk of developing congenital heart disease.
Too much use of drugs or alcohol during pregnancy
Certain medications
Exposure to chemicals
Viral infections such as rubella
Uncontrolled diabetes
Smoking during pregnancy
Reach out to a congenital heart disease treatment specialist in Coimbatore to avoid any complications that can follow.
Congenital heart disease can lead to life-long complications and related conditions, if not detected and treated at the correct age. These com plications can be prevented.
These include an increased risk of:
Heart failure and stroke
Complications related to pregnancies
Endocarditis
Non-cardiac medical problems
Heart failure
Sudden cardiac arrest
There is no way to stop congenital heart diseases from happening for sure. However, a pregnant woman can reduce the risk by avoiding known risk factors and taking some precautions:
Get vaccinated against rubella and influenza.
Avoid drinking alcohol.
Quit smoking
Consult your physician before taking any medications
Take folic acid as prescribed
Stay away from unwell people.
Keep diabetes under-controlled
Avoid exposure to chemicals.
One or more tests may be recommended to diagnose a congenital heart defect. These include:
Congenital heart disease may be treated using a minimally invasive technique such as transcatheter procedures or open congenital heart surgery, depending on the type and severity of the condition. In a keyhole procedure, a catheter (small tube) is used to administer an intravascular device such as a balloon, coil, or stent to dilate (enlarge) or seal existing heart abnormalities.
This procedure opens up blood vessels that are too narrow so that blood can flow more easily through the heart.
This procedure is a part of congenital heart failure treatment and can be performed in fetuses or infants. It is usually a technique that widens the hole between the right and left sides of the heart.
This keyhole procedure is advised for patients with valves that are narrowed. A tiny balloon catheter is guided to the target valve and repeatedly inflated and deflated until the valve opening is adequately expanded.
For patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), a catheter inserts a device via blood vessels into the heart, closing the gap and restoring normal blood flow.
An atrial septal defect (ASD) is a congenital heart defect between the upper 2 chambers of the heart. The device is closed by inserting an occluder (separator) to divide the two chambers so that the heart can resume normal function.
For certain cardiac defects in infants, open surgery may be recommended.
This is a commonly performed procedure for various cyanotic congenital heart diseases that eventually lead to a single ventricle repair.
This form of open-heart surgery redirects deoxygenated blood from body directly to the lungs. The blood is able to get oxygenated without going via the heart.
This surgery closes the small blood vessel between the aorta and the pulmonary artery. It can be tied off, clipped, divided, and cut close to the hole.
With the help of a shunt, this surgery is done in children to connect the systemic arterial system to the pulmonary arterial system. This permits aortic blood to reach the lungs.
This is a form of open-heart surgery to build a new aorta and ensure that the right ventricle can pump blood to the body through the new aorta.
This is a commonly performed procedure for various cyanotic congenital heart diseases that eventually lead to a single ventricle repair.
This involves implanting a conduit that restores the left ventricle's ability to pump blood to the body.
This procedure involves the closure of an atrial septal defect which utilizes a plug to close the sutures.
This can involve a keyhole procedure that involves a device called an occluder closes the hole in the ventricle.
TAPVC is a condition where the normal blood route is not followed, in such cases a new connection between the lungs and heart to restore the normal blood flow.
TGA is a congenital heart condition that occurs when there the aortas and ventricles are misconnected. In the surgical procedure, the aortas and ventricles are rightly connected.
Tetralogy of fallot is a condition where the normal blood flow is affected. Children affected may need to undergo corrective surgery to restore normal blood flow.
Newborns may be born with certain cardiac complications that require close monitoring and expert supervision
At times if the fetus is suspected of having a congenital impairment, the initial visit to a paediatric cardiologist may occur while you are still pregnant
Newborns can also show certain signs that might indicate a need to visit a pediatric cardiologist.
Your pulmonologist will also ask you about your symptoms and any other health problems you may have.
Most of the time, nowadays, due to the advancement of technology, newborn holes in heart and valve blockage can successfully be cured by microsurgery without open-heart surgery. On the other hand, blue baby syndrome is mostly treated with open-heart surgery with an excellent outcome.
By "fetal echo," a kind of ultrasound done during pregnancy between 18-20 weeks. Specialists can always detect a congenital heart defect before birth.
Open-heart surgery scares them most of the time. But nowadays, most holes in the heart and valve problems can be treated by "Device" closure or "balloon dilatation." The patient can go home within 48 hours of successful DEVICE closure or BALLOON dilatation.
No, in India and the subcontinent, large numbers of adults also suffer from heart problems present from birth.
Congenital heart disease can be caused by several health problems that a baby gets from one or both parents. Some forms of congenital heart disease are also known to run in families.
Happy Children
Years of Service
Experienced Staff
Our team of highly experienced Paediatric cardiologists have over 22+ years of experience in providing the best treatment for congenital heart diseases in Coimbatore.
MS, MCH, (CTVS), DNB., Consultant Paediatric Cardiothoracic Surgeon
MD (Paediatrics), FNB (Paediatrics Cardiology)., Consultant Interventional Paediatric Cardiologist
“I delivered my baby boy to Sri Ramakrishna hospital. Still, unfortunately, my baby was diagnosed with a heart defect, and thankfully the specialists assured us that treatment began immediately after diagnosis. Today my child is two years old and has no issues. Thank you, Sri Ramakrishna Hospital, for caring for my baby.”
“We brought our child to Sri Ramakrishna hospital after she showed signs of heart disease. Thankfully, the doctors immediately examined her, and she recovered from the treatment. I would recommend Sri Ramakrishna Hospital.”
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