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Risk factors
By Mayo Clinic staff Most congenital heart defects result from problems early in your child's heart development, the cause of which is unknown. However, certain environmental and genetic risk factors may play a role. They include:- Rubella (German measles). Having rubella during pregnancy can cause problems in your baby's heart development. Your doctor can test you for immunity to this viral disease before pregnancy and vaccinate you against it if you aren't immune. Wait at least 28 days after being vaccinated before attempting to conceive.
- Diabetes. Having this chronic condition can interfere with the development of the fetus's heart. You can reduce the risk by carefully controlling your diabetes before attempting to conceive and during pregnancy. Gestational diabetes generally doesn't increase your baby's risk of developing a heart defect.
- Medications. Taking certain medications while pregnant is known to cause birth defects, including congenital heart defects. Give your doctor a complete list of the medications you take before attempting to become pregnant. Medications that increase risk include the acne drug isotretinoin (Accutane) and lithium (Eskalith), which is used to treat bipolar disorder, a condition that causes intense mood swings. Also avoid alcohol during pregnancy because babies with fetal alcohol syndrome often have congenital heart defects.
- Heredity. Congenital heart defects appear to run in families and are associated with many genetic syndromes. More than one-third of children with Down syndrome — which is caused by an extra 21st chromosome (trisomy 21) — have heart defects. A missing piece (deletion) of genetic material on chromosome 22 also causes heart defects. Genetic testing can detect such disorders during fetal development. Researchers have identified several genes critical for the proper development of the heart. If you already have a child with a congenital heart defect, a genetic counselor can predict the approximate odds that your next child will have one.
References
- Congenital heart defects. National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/chd/chd_all.html. Accessed Sept. 8, 2008.
- Congenital heart defects in children fact sheet. American Heart Association. http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=12012. Accessed Sept. 8, 2008.
- Diabetes and pregnancy frequently asked questions. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/bd/diabetespregnancyfaqs.htm#whatcanhappentoababy. Accessed Sept. 18, 2008.
