Congenital Heart Conditions (Newborn)

2024/05/20

Signs & Symptoms

In some cases, parents may be aware of their baby’s congenital heart condition from prenatal ultrasound diagnoses. These infants will receive immediate attention from our doctors at birth.

Newborns with congenital heart conditions might exhibit symptoms shortly after birth, such as cyanosis (blueness) around the lips due to inadequate blood oxygenation or poor heart function. Some infants may initially appear healthy and are diagnosed during routine physical examinations by the doctor. A common early sign is a heart murmur (an additional sound heard via stethoscope) identified in the nursery or during a check-up around one month of age.

What causes the condition

Congenital heart conditions stem from abnormal development of the heart's structure during foetal development in the womb.

About the condition

There are a variety of congenital heart conditions, including incorrect connections of major blood vessels coming out from the heart, abnormal openings (shunts) between different heart chambers and obstructions (stenosis) in normal blood pathways.

Diagnosis and Treatment Options

If the condition was prenatally diagnosed, the baby will be examined and attended to by our doctors immediately after birth and referred to a paediatric cardiologist after stabilisation.

Diagnostic procedures include echocardiography (heart ultrasound), various blood tests and a chest X-ray.

Serious conditions may require specific medications, respiratory support and urgent referral to cardiothoracic surgeons. For other cases, once diagnosis is confirmed via 2D echocardiography, the infant may be discharged with a follow-up appointment, with or without oral medication.

Post Op Care

Should surgery be required, postoperative care for the infant will be provided in the Paediatric Intensive Care or Neonatal Intensive Care units.