Congenital Heart Defects: Know the symptoms and preventions

The heart is one of the most important organs of the body that directly or indirectly regulates the functioning of other major organs. With age and other risk factors, there are many conditions that affect the proper functioning of the heart. In some cases like Congenital Heart Defects (CHD), there are problems in the structure of the heart since birth. It is the most common type of birth defect that can even lead to fatal consequences if not detected at an early stage.The abnormality is typically found in blood vessels surrounding the heart, restricting blood flow. In other cases, this problem occurs when there is a hole inside the walls of the heart or any problems related to the heart valves. What makes this condition worse is that it shows minimal symptoms in the initial stages and is left undiagnosed until childhood, adolescence or adulthood.Understanding the types of CHDCongenital heart defects are usually of 2 types which include:

• Cyanotic congenital heart disease: This heart defect is the result of low blood supply to the major organs of the body. As a result, the amount of oxygen is delivered in a limited manner as the wall is too small on either or both side of the heart.
• Acyanotic congenital heart disease: This defect occurs when the supply of blood is affected due to an abnormality or defect. These include a hole in the heart since childhood, narrowed aorta, or pulmonary artery.

What are the causes?The exact cause of CHD is still unknown, especially among babies. The defect is believed to occur when there is a blockage in the creation of the fetus’ heart. Around the fifth week of pregnancy, the fetal heart develops from a tube-like structure. This fatal disease can be caused by any factor that prevents this creation.Additionally, CHDs are also likely to be caused by a combination of heredities and environmental factors, such as the mother's nutrition, her health conditions, or her medication use during pregnancy. Certain illnesses, such as pre-existing diabetes or obesity in expecting mothers are related to cardiac abnormalities in the child. Heart abnormalities have also been related to smoking during pregnancy and using certain drugs that can affect the fetus' growth.Know the symptomsThe common symptoms that a kid may experience vary, however, some of the frequent signs that a parent should look out for are as follows:

• Cyanosis (blue appearance of skin, lips or nails)
• Sleepiness
• Trouble breathing or breathlessness
• Fatigue
• Poor blood circulation
• Weak pulse rate

PreventionAlthough it is completely impossible to evade the risk of this progressive disease, but a few steps can be taken by mothers during their pregnancy to ensure that there is no risk of this defect in the newborn child:

• Regular check for infection that can weakened the fetus’ heart
• Smoking
• Alcohol consumption

Aside from this, pregnant women should maintain a healthy balanced diet and see their gynecologist on a regular basis.The author is the Senior Consultant, Interventional Cardiology, Manipal Hospital, Patiala. Views are personal. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News,India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.