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Special thanks go to the following for their invaluable contributions: Nanette Alvarez, MD; Yvonne Bessette, RN; David Harrison, MD; Ian Lancashire, PhD; Amanda Reid, RN; and Gary Webb, MD.

This resource was researched and written by Elizabeth Hurdman, BA, B.Ed., and is used with the author's permission.
Frequently Asked Questions

1) What is a congenital heart defect?

2) How common are congenital heart defects?

3) What caused my congenital heart defect?

4) How is a congenital heart defect discovered?

5) What happens after a heart defect is found?

6) Are there any other special tests?

7) How often will I need to see my cardiologist?

8) Is surgery the only treatment for a congenital heart defect?

9) What do I need to know about surgery?



What is a congenital heart defect?

The word congenital means "inborn or existing at birth." The phrases congenital heart defect and congenital heart disease are often used to mean the same thing, but the word defect is more accurate. Your heart disorder is an abnormality, not a disease. Your defect was caused by the incorrect development of the heart, or blood vessels near the heart, before birth.
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