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Congenital Heart Defects
Reviewed by Dr. Ajay Kaul, M.Ch — Chairman, Cardiac Sciences, Fortis Noida · Updated August 2026
Structural problems with the heart present from birth — ranging from a small hole between heart chambers (VSD or ASD) to more complex abnormalities in how the heart's chambers and vessels are formed. Some are found before birth on a prenatal scan; others are picked up in infancy, childhood, or occasionally not until adulthood.
Symptoms
- In infants: poor feeding, poor weight gain, rapid breathing, or bluish skin colour
- In older children or undiagnosed adults: breathlessness, fatigue, or reduced exercise tolerance
- Many small defects cause no symptoms at all and are found incidentally
Causes & risk factors
- Usually no single identifiable cause
- Genetic factors
- Certain maternal infections or health conditions during pregnancy
- Family history, in some cases
How it’s diagnosed
- A heart murmur noticed on routine examination, or a finding on prenatal ultrasound
- Echocardiogram, to confirm and map the defect precisely
- CT, MRI, or cardiac catheterisation, for more complex anatomy
Treatment options
Many small defects close on their own as a child grows and need only monitoring with regular echocardiograms. Larger or more complex defects are treated with surgical repair, timed around what's safest for the child's growth and development — never automatically at the point of diagnosis.
Common questions
Many small defects do, particularly in infancy — which is why many are simply monitored with regular echocardiograms rather than treated immediately.
Not sure what your symptoms mean? Ask directly.
Send your reports, or describe what you’re experiencing — Dr. Kaul’s team will guide you to the right next step.