Cyanotic heart defect primary prevention

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

Associate Editor(s)-In-Chief: Keri Shafer, M.D. [2], Atif Mohammad, M.D.

Overview

Primary Prevention

Women who are pregnant should get good prenatal care.

Avoid using alcohol and drugs during pregnancy.
Tell your doctor that you are pregnant before taking any prescribed medications.
Get a blood test early in the pregnancy to see if you are immune to rubella. If you are not immune, you must avoid any exposure to rubella and should get immunized right after delivery.
Pregnant women with diabetes should try to get good control over their blood sugar levels.

Some inherited factors may play a role in congenital heart disease. Many family members may be affected.

References

Overview