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What is Congenital Heart Disease?

Congenital means present at birth. Heart defects begin in the early stages of pregnancy when the baby’s heart is forming. Approximately 40,000 babies are born each year in the United States with CHD. This equates to 1 out of 125 babies are born with a heart defect. There are approximately 35 different types of congenital heart defects. Most of the children born with a heart defect will require at least one and some will require multiple heart procedures or surgeries in their lifetime.