Heart Defects #1 Birth Defect
February 15th is Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Day, a day that recognizes the No. 1 birth defect in the United States. According to the American Heart Association, almost twice as many children in the U.S. die from congenital heart defects as from all forms of childhood cancer combined. Congenital heart defects occur in approximately 1 in every 100 births.
Of the 35 known congenital heart defects, Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS) is considered to be one of the worst. In HLHS, the left side of the heart is underdeveloped. It occurs in approximately one of every 6,000 births.
Fifteen years ago, it was a virtual death sentence. HLHS cannot be "fixed", but while current surgical treatment cannot cure HLHS, it can lengthen the lives of babies born with it. For more information on congenital heart defects, visit http://tchin.org or www.americanheart.org.
Of the 35 known congenital heart defects, Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS) is considered to be one of the worst. In HLHS, the left side of the heart is underdeveloped. It occurs in approximately one of every 6,000 births.
Fifteen years ago, it was a virtual death sentence. HLHS cannot be "fixed", but while current surgical treatment cannot cure HLHS, it can lengthen the lives of babies born with it. For more information on congenital heart defects, visit http://tchin.org or www.americanheart.org.