Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Week
It is common knowledge that the month of February is referred to as "American Heart Month." No, not because of Valentines Day but to help spread awareness for heart disease. During American Heart Month there is also Go Red for Womenwhich encourages women to come together and fight heart disease for their gender. But did you know there is a week in February geared towards babies who are born with something wrong with their hearts? It's called Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Week. This year, CHD Awareness Week is February 7-14.
Are you familiar with the term "congenital heart defect"?
How Common Is CHD?
Though congenital heart defects affect 1% of newborn babies and are the leading cause of death for infants, there does not seem to be as much awareness about CHD compared to other child health issues such as premature birth, Autism or cancer.
One in 100 babies are born with something wrong with their heart, making it the most common birth defect. CHD affects approximately 1.8 millions families in the Unites States. Despite these numbers, there is a lack of funding available for education, research and support.
For some of these babies, the heart condition goes undetected and the baby dies as a result. For others, surgery is done when the child is just days old. If the heart defect is complex, the child may have to go through more surgeries as the child grows. And many times, even though the child may appear to be "cured" as a result of heart surgery, they may begin to have trouble with their heart again as they reach adulthood.
There is no cure for congenital heart defects. There are not even clear reasons as to what causes them. Researches have speculated that heart defects are caused by a genetic abnormality or when the developing fetus is exposed to infections, toxic substances or drugs.
As you can see, much needs to be done in terms of awareness, education, research and support for babies born with a congenital heart defect. Their little hearts deserve it.
Resources
- CHIN: CHD Awareness Week
CHD Awareness Week is an annual awareness effort to help educate the public about Congenital Heart Defects. Participants include individuals, local support groups, national and local organizations and congenital cardiology centers throughout... - Congenital Heart Information Network
Interactive forums, resources, and internet links for families, adults with CHD, nurses, and other health care professionals with an interest in pediatric cardiology. - Adult Congenital Heart Association
The Adult Congenital Heart Association (ACHA) is a nonprofit organization that seeks to improve the quality of life and extend the lives of congenital heart defect survivors. Through education, outreach, advocacy and promotion of research...
More CHD Hubs
- CHD - The Most Common Birth Defect in Babies
Congenital heart defects (CHD) are the most common birth defects. CHD affects 8 out of every 1,000 newborns. Each year, more than 35,000 babies in the United States are born with congenital heart defects.... - Adults Living with Congenital Heart Defects
Currently, there are approximately one million adults in the United States living with congenital heart defects (CHD). Due to increased survival, this number increases by about 5% every year. These numbers... - Can a Woman with a Congenital Heart Defect Still Have a Baby?
The short answer to this question is, maybe. It really depends on what kind of congenital heart defect (CHD) the woman has. If it is one of the more complex defects and has certain symptoms present, the answer...