02 January 2021 02 Jan 2021

Congenital heart disease in children

The 20-week antenatal scan is the primary point at which the structures of the heart are examined. The heart is one of the first organs to be formed in utero. By 8 weeks' gestation, the heart's atria and ventricles are formed, and all major vessels are developed (Bhattacharya and Stubblefield, 2016). Often women are unaware they are pregnant in these initial weeks. Most causes of CHD remain unknown. However, exposure to certain pathogens within the first weeks of gestation is a known factor.