About CHD

CHD stands for Congenital Heart Disease or Congenital Heart Defect. CHD is an abnormality in the heart that is present at birth.

Roughly 40,000 babies are born each year with CHD and it's the leading cause of birth defect-related infant deaths.
Approximately 2-3 million people live with CHD in the United States. A more accurate number is not available because we have no system in place to track CHD after early childhood. Thanks to continued research, more children with CHD are reaching adulthood, and for the first time in history, there are more adults than children living with CHD.

As the #1 birth defect, CHD affects 1.35 million infants every year worldwide.

CHD kills 2x more children each year than all forms of childhood cancer combined.

1 in every 10 children diagnosed with CHD does not live to adulthood.

What Causes CHD?

The short answer is, for most cases, we really don't know. A few known causes and risk factors have been identified, but more research is needed to better understand exactly when and why CHD occurs.

What treatments are available?

Very mild defects may resolve on their own as the child grows. Other defects may require medication, catheterization, or even heart surgery. Approximately 1/3 of children born with CHD will require some type of intervention within the first year of their life for survival.

How is CHD diagnosed?

More severe forms of CHD are now often diagnosed by ultrasound during pregnancy. Some cases may be diagnosed shortly after birth and others may remain undetected until adolescence or early adulthood.

There are 17 different types of CHD

Many of these types of CHD have multiple variations depending on the individual's unique anatomy. Several defects may occur together and others may be found in isolation.

Family Support

Hearing the words, "There's something wrong with your baby's heart" is a scary moment. In that instant, you are unexpectedly thrust into a world of unknowns, medical jargon, and fear for your child. You are not alone. There are many resources available to connect with other families who have walked this road before you and organizations that can help.