Gabe's Hope Inc.

Congenital Heart Defect Facts

1 in every 100 babies is born with a CHD.
CHD is the most frequently occurring birth defect, and is the leading cause of birth-defect related deaths.
Sometimes during early pregnancy, a baby's heart fails to form properly, resulting in structural abnormalities known as Congenital Heart Defects. Although some defects are genetic, in many cases the cause is unknown.
This year, almost 40,000 babies will be born with a congenital heart defect. 4,000 of them will not live to see their first birthday.
91,000 lives are lost each year in this country due to congenital heart defects.
There are 35 different types of congenital heart defects. Little is known about the cause of them. There is not yet a cure for any of them.
Congenital heart defects occur frequently and are often life-threatening, yet research is grossly under funded. Only one penny of every dollar donated to the American Heart Association goes toward congenital heart defect research.
Of every dollar the government spends on medical funding, only a fraction of a penny goes toward congenital heart defect research.
In the last decade, death rates for congenital heart defects have declined by almost 30% due to advances made through research.
Although some babies will be diagnosed at birth, sometimes the diagnosis is not made until days, weeks, months, or even years after. In some cases, CHDs are not detected until adolescence or adulthood.
Some CHDs may not require treatment other than periodic visits to a Pediatric Cardiologist. Others can be treated with medications or repaired with surgery and/or procedures. Complex defects may require several surgeries and are never really "cured".
More than 50% of all children born with a congenital heart defect will require at least one surgery in their lifetime. For more complex defects, some children will have to undergo at least three open heart surgeries. . .
In the U.S., twice as many children die from congenital heart defects each year than from all forms of childhood cancer combined; yet funding for pediatric cancer research is five times higher than funding for CHDs.

Information provided by The Children’s Heart Foundation (http://www.childrensheartfoundation.org/), American Heart Association: Statistical Update 2001, American Collegeof Cardiology

Congenital Heart Defect Facts

1 in every 100 babies is born with a CHD.

CHD is the most frequently occurring birth defect, and is the leading cause of birth-defect related deaths.

Sometimes during early pregnancy, a baby's heart fails to form properly, resulting in structural abnormalities known as Congenital Heart Defects. Although some defects are genetic, in many cases the cause is unknown.

This year, almost 40,000 babies will be born with a congenital heart defect. 4,000 of them will not live to see their first birthday.

91,000 lives are lost each year in this country due to congenital heart defects.

There are 35 different types of congenital heart defects. Little is known about the cause of them. There is not yet a cure for any of them.

Congenital heart defects occur frequently and are often life-threatening, yet research is grossly under funded. Only one penny of every dollar donated to the American Heart Association goes toward congenital heart defect research.

Of every dollar the government spends on medical funding, only a fraction of a penny goes toward congenital heart defect research.

In the last decade, death rates for congenital heart defects have declined by almost 30% due to advances made through research.

Although some babies will be diagnosed at birth, sometimes the diagnosis is not made until days, weeks, months, or even years after. In some cases, CHDs are not detected until adolescence or adulthood.

Some CHDs may not require treatment other than periodic visits to a Pediatric Cardiologist. Others can be treated with medications or repaired with surgery and/or procedures. Complex defects may require several surgeries and are never really "cured".

More than 50% of all children born with a congenital heart defect will require at least one surgery in their lifetime. For more complex defects, some children will have to undergo at least three open heart surgeries. . .

In the U.S., twice as many children die from congenital heart defects each year than from all forms of childhood cancer combined; yet funding for pediatric cancer research is five times higher than funding for CHDs.