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Avoid alcohol and other drugs during pregnancy. Physicians should be made aware that a woman is pregnant before prescribing for any medications for her. The immune status for rubella should evaluated early in the pregnancy. If the mother is not immune, she must avoid any possible exposure to rubella and should be immunized immediately following delivery.
There may be some hereditary factors that play a role in congenital heart disease. It is rare but not impossible for more than one child in a family to have a congenital heart defect. Experts believe that some prescription and over-the-counter medications and street drugs used during pregnancy increase the risk of heart defects.
There is, however, no definitive cause that can be identified for most congenital heart defects. Congenital heart diseases continue to be investigated and researched.
One of the most important factors in determining the outcome of a baby born with a congenital heart disease is whether the defect was found and followed during the pregnancy. Therefore, it is of the utmost importance that expectant mothers receive good prenatal care. Many of these defects can be discovered on routine ultrasound examinations performed by an obstetrician. The delivery can then be anticipated and the appropriate medical personnel (such as a pediatric cardiologist, a cardiothoracic surgeon, ans a neonatologist) can be present, ready to intervene as necessary. This can make the difference between life and death for some babies.
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