20 CHD Fun Facts

1. Congenital Heart Defects are the #1 birth defect. Source: March of Dimes
2. Congenital Heart Defects are the #1 cause of birth defect related deaths. Source: March of Dimes
3. About 1 out of every 100 babies are born each year with some type of Congenital Heart Defect. (approx. 40,000/year) Source: Children’s Heart Foundation
4. Nearly twice as many children die from Congenital Heart Defects in the United States each year as from all forms of childhood cancers combined, yet funding for pediatric cancer research is five times higher than funding for CHD. Source: Children’s Heart Foundation
5. The American Heart Association directs only $0.30 of every dollar donated toward research. The remainder goes toward administration, education and fundraising efforts. Of the $0.30 that goes toward research only $0.01 goes toward pediatric cardiology for CHD. Source: Children’s Heart Foundation
6. This year approximately 4,000 babies will not live to see their first birthday because of Congenital Heart Defects. Source: Children’s Heart Foundation
7. The cost for inpatient surgery to repair Congenital Heart Defects exceeds $2.2 billion a year. Source: Children’s Heart Foundation
8. Of every dollar the government spends on medical funding only a fraction of a penny is directed toward Congenital Heart Defect research. Source: Children’s Heart Foundation
9. Though research is ongoing, at least 35 defects have now been identified.
10. 4-8% born with CHD have Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome
11. 4-10% born with CHD have Atrioventricular Septal Defects
12. 8-11% born with CHD have Coarctation of the Aorta
13. 9-14% born with CHD have Tetralogy of Fallot
14. 10-11% born with CHD have Transposition of the Great Arteries
15. 14-16% born with CHD have Ventricular Septal Defects
16. Although some babies will be diagnosed during gestation or at birth, sometimes the diagnosis is not made until days, weeks, months, or even years after. In some cases, CHD is not detected until adolescence or adulthood. Source: March of Dimes
17. It is a proven fact that the earlier CHD is detected and treated, it is more likely the affected child will survive and have less long term health complications. Source: March of Dimes
18. Today alone about 106 Babies will be born with a CHD
19. Why do congenital heart defects occur Most of the time we do not know. Although the reason defects occur is presumed to be genetic, only a few genes have been discovered that have been linked to the presence of heart defects.
20. Successful treatment requires highly specialized care. Severe congenital heart disease requires extensive financial resources both in and out of the hospital. Children with developmental delay also require community and school-based resources to achieve optimum functioning.