Congenital heart defects are malformations of the heart that occur before birth. Put simply, some part of the heart did not
develop properly in the womb and the functioning of the heart has been affected. Congenital heart defects, also known as congenital
cardiovascular malformations or CCVMs, are rare. Although they are not found only in premature babies, some heart defects
may put a baby at risk for premature birth.
Despite advances in ultrasound and other imaging technologies, congenital heart defects usually only become apparent after
birth. When premature babies are born with these types of heart problems, treatment is often complicated by the baby’s immaturity
and small size, the relative fragility of the premature baby, and other coexisting complications of prematurity.
Congenital heart defects have varying degrees of severity. Some malformations are minor and only mildly affect heart function.
Others are more serious.
There are many different types of congenital heart defects. The following is a list of the more common forms. Click an item
on the list for a description and explanation of the defect with accompanying images.
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