Unfortunately, heart defects are much more common than you might think. In fact, congenital heart defects (CHD) are the most common birth defect that occurs in babies. About 100 babies are born each day in the United States with a heart defect, for a total of 40,000 babies each year. Can you believe that? Many of us do not even live in towns that have 40,000 people, and can’t imagine that many tiny babies being born each year with heart problems. The good news is that these days almost all babies born with CHD do survive into adulthood, and many live a normal lifespan.
So back to Melissa’s question, what causes heart defects and why is her baby affected? Sometimes there is a genetic link, so it is important to know if you have a family history of people with heart defects or not. Lots of time we don’t know why the baby has a heart defect as birth defects just happen randomly in 3 to 5% of all babies born. But we do know that about 10% of all birth defects in general, are caused by exposure during pregnancy to things called teratogens. That is a scary sounding word that means any exposure during pregnancy that can harm a baby. These kinds of exposures are often preventable, so that means that the resulting birth defects are potentially preventable too. So what do you need to be concerned about regarding your baby’s heart? We do know that over 80% of all women are exposed to a medication during pregnancy and there are some medications that can increase the chance that a baby will have a heart defect. These medications include Lithium, which is used mainly to treat Bipolar Depression Disorder; isotretinoin, a form of vitamin A that is found in Accutane, a medication used to treat severe acne; and Phenobarbital, a medication mainly used to treat seizure disorders. Drinking alcohol during pregnancy can also increase the chance that your baby will have a heart defect.
It is always important to receive good prenatal care and avoid alcohol and illicit drugs when you are pregnant. If you are taking a prescription medication, you do need to be sure to talk with your doctor before you stop taking your medication such as Lithium or Phenobarbital. Your doctor will help you decide if the benefits to you of taking the medication for your condition outweigh the small risk for a possible birth defect such as a heart defect. If you don’t have a friend who works in this area of health care, there are lots of us out here that are trained in this field and will be happy to talk with you! If you have any questions about exposures during pregnancy or while nursing your baby, please call the Organization of Teratology Information Specialists (OTIS) at (866) 626-6847 or check us out at otispregnancy.org. We are there to help you figure out how to keep your baby’s heart healthy!
Written by Lori Wolfe, 1/31/12