Prevention

Because the exact cause of most congenital heart defects is unknown, it may not be possible to prevent these conditions. If you have a high risk of giving birth to a child with a congenital heart defect, genetic testing and screening may be done during pregnancy.

There are some things you can do that might reduce your child's overall risk of birth defects such as:

• Get proper prenatal care. Regular checkups with your doctor during pregnancy can help keep mom and baby healthy.
• Take a multivitamin with folic acid. Taking 400 micrograms of folic acid daily has been shown to reduce birth defects in the brain and spinal cord and may help reduce the risk of heart defects as well.
• Don't drink or smoke. These lifestyle habits can negatively affect the baby's health. Also avoid secondhand smoke.
• Get a rubella (German measles) vaccine. A rubella infection during pregnancy may affect your baby's heart development. Be sure to get vaccinated before you try to get pregnant.
• Control your blood sugar. If you have diabetes, good control of your blood sugar can reduce the risk of heart defects.
• Manage chronic health conditions. If you have other health conditions, such as phenylketonuria, talk to your doctor about the best way to treat and manage them.
• Avoid harmful substances. During pregnancy, have someone else do any painting and cleaning with strong-smelling products.
• Check with your doctor before taking any medications. Some medications can cause birth defects. Let your doctor know about all the medications you take, including those bought without a prescription.