by guest blogger Joye Mullis

Quick! What’s the most common birth defect?

Cleft lip? No.  Down Syndrome? Nope.  Spina Bifida? Not quite.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) names Congenital Heart Defects (CHD) THE most common type of birth defect in America.

Are you surprised?

In the United States alone, about 40,000 infants are born with a heart defect each year.  This equates to about 1 in every 100 births, or around 110 babies born each day with tiny, broken hearts.  Of those 40,000 infants, thousands won’t celebrate their 1st birthday and thousands more won’t reach adulthood.  More than half of the babies who do survive will require at least one invasive surgery in their lifetime, and we’re not talking some laproscopic procedure.  Full blown open-heart surgery is required to repair many of these defects, and sometimes as soon as 1 day of life.

The facts are sobering, no doubt, but there is hope.  

The Children’s Heart Foundation reports that, in the last decade, death rates for CHDs have declined by almost 30% due to discoveries made through research.  Thanks to these advancements, there are an estimated TWO MILLION survivors of Congenital Heart Defects in the United States! And, get this - more than half of those survivors are now adults.  That’s over one million men and women beating the odds and paving the way for our children!

Wait.  Did she just say “our”?

You see, along with those 40,000 infants born each year come 40,000 mamas.  We form a group that no one really wants to join, but welcomes you with open arms when you do.  We are “heart moms” and we have sat beside numerous hospital beds begging our babies and our children to hang onto life.  I have personally handed my child over to a team of surgeons and then watched his heart beat from inside his opened chest after their work was done.  My son is one in one hundred.  But, more on that later.


Given the prevalence of Congenital Heart Defects, it is likely that you know someone affected by them in some way.  Or, maybe even you are.  Or, maybe you’re like me and thought heart problems only happened to old people.  I was clueless before my son was born, which is why I’m so passionate about shedding light on this life-threatening birth defect now.

If you remember nothing else from this post, please remember these two words:  Pulse Oximetry.  Not all heart defects are diagnosed in utero and this quick, painless test can be the first sign that something is wrong with your baby’s heart.  Many states are now requiring a pulse ox screening on every newborn before they are discharged from the hospital and, with any luck, it will become law here in North Carolina as well.  Regardless of if that ever happens, you are entitled to request this screening for your baby and I would highly encourage you to do so.  Two minutes and a piece of tape could be what it takes to save your baby’s life.


I’ll be back next Tuesday to share my personal experience with Congenital Heart Defects, and I hope you’ll read it.  It’s a story of strength and resilience on my son’s part, and learning how to turn tragedy into beauty on mine.  You may even want to bring some tissues!

In the meantime, tell someone what you’ve learned today.  Wear red to raise awareness for America’s most common birth defect.  Inform your pregnant friends about pulse oximetry.  Educate yourself by following the links in this post and don’t hesitate to ask questions!

Perhaps you’re inspired to do even more.  You can always make a donation to the Children's Heart Foundation or the American Heart Association; or, maybe send a care package to the nurses and doctors who work so diligently in your local pediatric cardiac unit.

Even the smallest act can send a loud message.  Please, get involved.  Do something.  Do it for the babies who have lost their battle, and for those still fighting. Let us know that we're not facing this alone.


Did you know that Feb. 7-14, 2012 is Congenital Heart Defect (CHD) Awareness Week? According to The Congenital Heart Information Network, CHD Awareness week is an annual effort to help educate the public about congenital heart defects. Participants include individuals, local support groups, national and local organizations and congenital cardiology centers throughout the world. Visit www.tchin.org/aware for more information. February is also American Heart Month. To view President Obama's proclamation about American Heart month, click here.

Joye Mullis is the mother of Ethan, currently two years old. Ethan was born with multiple birth defects, the most severe being a (beautifully) broken heart.  Joye's blog acts as a baby book, of sorts, and chronicles his entire life story from the womb until now. Visit her blog to learn more about American Heart Month and Joye's experiences with Ethan, or email her at joyemullis{at}gmail{dot}com.