Abstract

Parental cigarette smoking risk of congenital heart defects

Author(s): Renata F Kuciene

Congenital heart defects are among the most common birth defects, and they remain a major cause of death in infancy and childhood (3). The prevalence of congenital heart defects is estimated to be 4 to 10 cases per 1000 live births, and the most frequent types of these malformations are septa defects. The part of ventricular and atrial septa defects closes spontaneously within the first year of life; other children with congenital defects require surgical intervention.