Congenital Heart Disease

Any of a variety of malformations of the heart or its major blood vessels that are present at birth. Congenital heart disease occurs when the heart or blood vessels near the heart do not develop properly before birth. Some infants are born with mild types of congenital heart disease, but most need surgery in order to survive and are likely to experience other cardiac problems later in life. Most types of congenital heart disease obstruct the flow of blood in the heart or the nearby vessels, or cause an abnormal flow of blood through the heart. Rarer types of congenital heart disease occur when the newborn has only one ventricle, when the pulmonary artery and the aorta come out of the same ventricle, or when one side of the heart is not completely formed.