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Congenital Heart Defects - What Increases Your Risk

In most cases, the cause of a congenital heart defect isn't known. But certain things increase your baby's chances of having a heart defect. These include:

Family history. A child's risk for having a congenital heart defect increases if a brother, sister, or parent has one.
Other genetic conditions. For example, Down syndrome has been linked to these defects.
Premature birth. Babies born too early have a higher chance of having a heart defect.
Chronic conditions. Babies born to women with diabetes or phenylketonuria have a higher chance of having a heart defect.
Use of alcohol or drugs. Women who drink alcohol, take certain prescription or over-the-counter medicines, or use illegal street drugs during pregnancy may cause the baby to have a heart defect.

If you're concerned about having a baby with a congenital heart defect, you can take steps to lower your risk. For healthy pregnancy choices, see the topic Pregnancy.

Recommended Related to Heart Disease

Atherosclerosis: What’s Happening Inside Your Arteries?

Ever wish you could see inside your arteries? These blood vessels deliver oxygen-rich blood to every corner of our bodies. Maintaining the flow is essential to life and health. Atherosclerosis causes narrowing and hardening of the arteries, creating slowdowns in blood flow. Even worse, atherosclerosis can trigger sudden blood clots. Heart attacks and strokes are the often-deadly result. If we could see what was going on in our arteries, we might think twice about our lifestyle choices. Could...

Read the Atherosclerosis: What’s Happening Inside Your Arteries? article > >

WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise

Last Updated: October 11, 2011

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information.