Congenital Heart Defects - What Increases Your Risk
In most cases, the cause of a congenital heart defect is not known. But certain things increase your baby's chances of developing a heart defect.
- 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 congenital heart defects.
- Premature birth: Babies born too early have a higher chance of having a congenital heart defect.
- Chronic conditions: Babies born to women with diabetes or phenylketonuria have a higher chance of having a congenital heart defect.
Women who plan to become pregnant and women who are pregnant can lower their risk of having a baby with a congenital heart defect by taking steps to have a healthy pregnancy. For healthy pregnancy choices, see the topic Pregnancy.
Atherosclerosis: Your Arteries Age by Age
Atherosclerosis takes place over a lifetime. Complications from atherosclerosis tend to happen later in life. But the process of narrowing and hardening of the arteries starts early, progressing over decades. Developing some atherosclerosis is often unavoidable. It's the result of aging and our own genetic tendencies. A much larger part, though, is determined by our behavior and lifestyle choices as we move through life. How old are your arteries? Are they the ones you had in college? Or are...
Read the Atherosclerosis: Your Arteries Age by Age article > >
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