Congenital Heart Defects (CHDs)

Birth defects of the heart, known as a congenital heart defects, or CHDs, are birth defects that can affect the structure of a baby’s heart and the way it works. They can affect how blood flows through the heart and out to the rest of the body. CHDs can vary from mild, such as a small hole in the heart, to severe, such as missing or poorly formed parts of the heart. CHDs are the most common birth defect in babies born in the United States. About one in 100 babies is born with a CHD. The most common type of CHD is a ventricular septal defect, or VSD, which is a hole in the wall between the lower chambers of the heart.