What is a Congenital Heart Defect (CHD)? CHD is an anomaly of the heart that is present at birth. CHD’s cause one or more portions of the heart to develop abnormally.  At least 35 distinct forms recognized. (There is no known cause for CHD, although genetics is the number one suspect) CHD is the # 1 birth defect and is the leading cause of birth-defect related deaths… (While it is the most common birth defect, it is the least publicized.) CHD strikes children without regard to economic level, ethnic origin, sex, geographic location or religious beliefs. 40,000 infants are born with CHD each year in the U.S. (Still, newborns are not screened for CHD’s.) Some babies may be diagnosed before birth or at birth, some not until days, weeks, months or even years later. Sadly, too many are not diagnosed until after death. Undiagnosed CHD’s and Childhood Onset Heart Disease cause many cases of Sudden Cardiac Death in young athletes. (Despite these statistics, teen-aged athletes are not routinely screened for CHD’s.) There are 1.2 million children and adults with CHD alive today (CHD affects not only patients, but also entire families.)