This Heart Month, Michigan parents encouraged to learn more about preventing and detecting congenital heart defects

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Feb. 8, 2017

CONTACT: Bob Wheaton, 517-241-2112

LANSING, Mich. – With heart defects being the most common birth defect, Michigan parents are encouraged to be aware of the risk of congenital heart disease.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is providing information about how to prevent and detect congenital heart disease during February – which is American Heart Month. Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Week, observed annually Feb. 7-14, promotes awareness and education about these conditions that affect nearly 1 percent of newborns in the United States.

“The heart forms in the early weeks of pregnancy, often before a woman realizes she is pregnant. Diet, genetic and environmental factors, life-style choices, health conditions and medications all can play a role in causing congenital heart defects,” said Dr. Eden Wells, MDHHS chief medical executive.

Congenital heart defects are conditions present at birth that affect heart structure and function that may or may not be detected right away. Some heart defects are detected before birth, while newborn screening may find congenital heart defects that cause low blood-oxygen levels shortly after birth.

Studies have reported increased risks for congenital heart defects associated with maternal obesity, diabetes and smoking. Some congenital heart defects may be preventable through healthy lifestyle choices and medical interventions before and during pregnancy. Women who are pregnant or may become pregnant are advised to:

• Avoid all alcohol and illegal/recreational drugs.
• Avoid exposure to smoke, chemicals and toxins at work and at home.
• Take a folic acid supplement throughout the childbearing years and check with their healthcare provider to confirm they are getting adequate amounts of all essential nutrients.
• See a physician prior to pregnancy, especially if there are medical conditions which require medications, any known metabolic conditions including diabetes, obesity, phenyketonuria (PKU), or a family history of congenital heart defects. Diabetic or obese women should make sure that blood sugar is under control and work toward a healthy weight through a nutritious food and physical activity plan before pregnancy.
• Receive regular medical check-ups and learn about their family history and potential genetic risks.

Prenatal and newborn screening cannot identify every child with a serious heart problem. Warning signs in babies that all parents should watch for include: bluish color of the lips or skin, grunting, fast breathing, poor feeding, and poor weight gain. A heart murmur is not necessarily a sign of this birth defect.

Signs in older children might include becoming easily tired or short of breath with physical activity. Diagnosis of less severe heart conditions can happen anytime until later in life. Parents should bring any concerns to their child’s primary care provider, who can evaluate and refer to a specialist, if needed.

Parents can visit the American Heart Association website at www.heart.org and click on the “Conditions” tab near the top of the homepage to find information about congenital heart defects in children – including information on care and treatment.

Heart defects are the leading cause of birth-defect-related deaths in the United States.

Some forms of congenital heart disease have only a minor and brief effect on a baby’s health, while others have very serious and life-long effects. In the United States, nearly 40,000 cases – or approximately 1 in 110 live births – are reported annually. Congenital heart defects affect about 1,880 infants born in the state each year, according to the Michigan Birth Defects Registry. 

For more information about congenital heart defects, visit www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/heartdefects and for more information about Michigan’s Newborn Screening Program, visit www.michigan.gov/newbornscreening.

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