Who is affected by congenital heart defects

Congenital heart defects happen in about 8 out of 1,000 babies born in the United States.¹ About one-third of these babies (2 or 3 out of 1,000 live births) have major defects that need surgery or have defects that may cause death during the first year of life.¹ The number of congenital heart defects among babies born early (premature) is much higher—about 2 out of 100 births.²

Congenital heart defects affect a similar number of boys and girls. But the types of defects that are common in boys and girls tend to differ. Boys tend to have a greater risk for certain defects such as complete transposition. And girls tend to have a greater risk of other types of defects, such as atrial or ventricular septal defects.²

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