Heart Diseases in Children

Heart diseases in children can either be congenital or acquired later in life. Most congenital heart diseases can be detected through fetal echocardiography during pregnancy. The ideal timing for fetal echocardiography is between the 18th and 20th weeks of pregnancy. Fetal echocardiography should be performed by a pediatric cardiologist. If life-threatening heart anomalies are detected during this period, the family is informed about the possibility of medical termination. Identifying whether there is a heart anomaly during pregnancy allows for preparedness after birth, enabling the quick planning of appropriate treatment for the newborn, thereby minimizing risks. Approximately 8-10 out of every 1000 live births have a heart anomaly. If one child in a family has a congenital heart anomaly, the chance of congenital heart disease occurring in the next child increases by 10 times.