By Amy Morrison, Founder of Pregnant Chicken
Tired mom who had been writing about pregnancy and parenting since 2010
Last Updated: January 2026
Finding out your baby might have a heart defect is terrifying. I'm writing this because after years of researching pregnancy and baby health, I keep seeing the same heartbreaking pattern: families whose children slipped through the cracks because a simple screening wasn't offered or warning signs were missed.
Here's what you need to know about congenital heart defects, including the screening that could save your child's life, the symptoms that are easy to miss, and what to do if you get the diagnosis.
How Common Are Congenital Heart Defects?
More common than you think. Approximately 40,000 babies are born with heart defects every year in the US – that's about 1 in 100 births, making them the most common type of birth defect
The good news? Almost all heart defects can be treated with today's medical advances, with about 90% of children with congenital heart defects now surviving into adulthood.
If Your Baby Is Diagnosed Before Birth
Most heart defects are discovered at the 20-week ultrasound. Here's what I learned are helpful next steps:
Get the right team in place immediately. Ask for a referral to the best pediatric cardiologist in your area before your baby arrives. Then make absolutely certain your cardiologist and pediatrician will communicate with each other. I know this sounds obvious, but I've been constantly floored by how many medical professionals won't collaborate.
Do your homework. Research your child's specific condition so you can make informed decisions. You need to understand what you're dealing with.
Prepare to look like an idiot (and be okay with it). This applies to all of parenthood, honestly, but especially when dealing with medical issues. If asking questions gets you eye rolls and exasperated sighs from doctors, remember: nobody on this planet cares more about what happens to your kid than you do. You need to understand the situation. You will look stupid sometimes. You will often look like a deranged honey badger. Accept it and move on.
The Screening Every Newborn Should Get (And Probably Does)
As of 2018, all 50 states and Washington D.C. have mandated pulse oximetry screening for newborns to detect critical congenital heart defects. This is huge progress, but it's still worth confirming your hospital will perform it.
Pulse oximetry screening (pulse ox) uses sensors placed on your baby's skin to measure oxygen levels in the blood and pulse rate. It takes just a few minutes, it's completely painless, and it's done when babies are 24 to 48 hours old.
The test can detect seven critical congenital heart defects. It's non-invasive, relatively inexpensive, and easy to perform, and it can flag something that could have a devastating impact if left unchecked.
What you should do: Confirm with your hospital that pulse oximetry screening will be performed on your newborn. While it's now standard practice, it never hurts to verify.
The test has a sensitivity of about 76% and specificity of 99.9%, meaning it's very good at ruling out problems but won't catch every single heart defect. That's why knowing the warning signs below is still crucial.
Warning Signs of Heart Defects in Babies and Kids
Here's the tricky part: many symptoms of heart problems look like everyday baby and kid stuff. That's exactly why families miss them.
Symptoms in Infants
- Tires easily during feeding (falls asleep before finishing)
- Sweating around the head, especially while eating
- Fast breathing when resting or sleeping
- Pale or bluish skin color
- Poor weight gain
- Sleeps excessively – not playful or curious for any length of time
- Puffy face, hands, or feet
- Prolonged or unexplained fever
- Constant irritability, difficult to console
Symptoms in Older Children
- Gets out of breath during play
- Can't keep up with other kids their age
- Tires easily or sleeps more than usual
- Color changes during activity – looks pale or has a bluish tint around mouth and nose
- Frequent colds and respiratory illnesses
- Slow growth and poor appetite
- Complains of chest pain or heart pounding
When to Talk to Your Doctor
I know what you're thinking: "My kid has half these symptoms on any given Tuesday." You're right. Aside from turning blue, these are pretty typical kid issues.
If your child has two or more of these symptoms consistently, talk to your pediatrician about the possibility of a heart defect and ask for a referral to a pediatric cardiologist.
This isn't a slam on doctors. If you come in worried about a fussy baby who won't eat, they'll likely rule out colic, protein allergy, and reflux first before alarming you with heart talk. If you're noticing multiple symptoms from this list, speak up, my honey badger.
The Bottom Line
Congenital heart defects are still relatively uncommon, so your baby likely won't have one. But I wanted to share this information because too many families have had their lives shattered by defects that weren't caught early enough, simply because warning signs weren't recognized or screening results were missed.
Think of this as good-to-know-hope-you-never-need-it knowledge, like CPR or how to do the Macarena.
Helpful Resources
- CDC: Screening for Critical Congenital Heart Defects - Official guidance and current statistics
- CongenitalHeartDefects.com - Information and resources for the CHD community
- American Heart Association: Congenital Heart Defects - Comprehensive information for families
About the Author: Amy Morrison is the founder of Pregnant Chicken and mom to two boys. Since 2010, she's been researching and writing no-BS advice about pregnancy, babies, and parenting. Her work combines expert research with real-world experience to help parents navigate the overwhelming world of raising kids.
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