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By Mayo Clinic staffWhile the exact cause of tetralogy of Fallot is unknown, several factors may increase the risk of a baby being born with this condition. These include:
- A viral illness in the mother, such as rubella (measles), during pregnancy
- Maternal alcoholism
- Poor nutrition
- A mother older than 40
- A parent who had tetralogy of Fallot
Children born with Down syndrome, a genetic condition resulting from an extra 21st chromosome, also are at increased risk of having tetralogy of Fallot.