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Atrial septal defect
Can someone with an atrial septal defect get pregnant?
Whether patients with atrial septal defects can become pregnant depends on the following factors: 1. Whether the patient normally has symptoms. 2. Whether the echocardiography indicates heart enlargement or pulmonary hypertension. 3. The size of the atrial septal defect. 4. Whether there is a combination of arrhythmias such as atrial flutter or atrial fibrillation, and complications such as pulmonary hypertension or heart failure. For those without symptoms, and where the defect does not cause pulmonary hypertension or right heart enlargement, choosing to become pregnant is possible. Complications are not common in pregnant women with isolated atrial septal defects without pulmonary hypertension. Studies have shown that the incidence of complications in pregnant women, whether the defect is repaired or not, is relatively low. If the patient has related arrhythmias and complications, it should be closely monitored, because the cardiovascular system of the mother undergoes changes during pregnancy, leading to increased cardiac workload and a higher burden on the heart, which in turn can increase the incidence of arrhythmias. For women who are already at high risk of atrial flutter or fibrillation, this risk can increase further. Additionally, pregnant women are in an older physiological state, making it easier to form blood clots, and for those with atrial septal defects, the risk of paradoxical thrombosis increases.
What does atrial septal defect mean?
Atrial septal defect is a relatively common type of congenital heart disease encountered clinically. In simple terms, the human heart has four chambers: the left atrium, right atrium, left ventricle, and right ventricle. Between the left and right atria, there is a structure called the atrial septum, which separates the two atria. If there is a hole in this septum, this condition is referred to as an atrial septal defect. Atrial septal defects are common congenital heart conditions, and when the defect is severe, it often accompanies heart failure and other complications. Under such circumstances, it is crucial to visit a cardiologist for a formal assessment to determine the necessity and approach to treatment.
How severe is an atrial septal defect considered to be?
Atrial septal defect (ASD) is a relatively common congenital heart disease in clinical practice. From a medical perspective, the severity of ASD depends on whether the patient is an adult or a child. For adults with ASD, generally speaking, defects larger than 20 millimeters are considered large atrial septal defects, which are more severe. If the defect size is between 10 and 20 millimeters, it is often classified as a moderate atrial septal defect. Defects smaller than 4 millimeters are considered small atrial septal defects. Generally, small and moderate atrial septal defects are not severe. For children, an atrial septal defect larger than 10 millimeters is considered a large atrial septal defect, which is more severe. Sizes between 5 and 10 millimeters are classified as moderate atrial septal defects. Defects smaller than 5 millimeters are considered small atrial septal defects, which generally are not severe.
Can atrial septal defect be cured?
Atrial septal defect is a common congenital heart disease. When the defect is small, some patients may heal naturally. In recent years, with the development of interventional technology for congenital heart diseases, most patients with atrial septal defects can be completely cured through interventional treatment, and some through surgical treatment. However, some patients have a large atrial septal defect with significant left-to-right shunting, leading to severe pulmonary arterial hypertension and right heart failure, which generally results in a poor prognosis. Some patients also have complications such as atrial flutter and atrial fibrillation. Certain patients may experience right heart failure due to excessive load on the right ventricle, and these patients often have a poor prognosis.
Atrial septal defect should be consulted with the Department of Cardiology.
Atrial septal defect is a common congenital heart disease in childhood, and it is also the most common congenital heart disease in adulthood. The incidence rate of atrial septal defects is about 1/1500 live births, accounting for 5%-10% of all congenital heart diseases, and it is more common in females. Most children with atrial septal defect, in addition to being prone to respiratory infections such as colds, may have no obvious symptoms and their activities are not limited. It is generally not until adolescence that symptoms like shortness of breath, palpitations, and fatigue appear. Patients with atrial septal defects should seek treatment in departments such as cardiology, cardiovascular surgery, thoracic surgery, or pediatric cardiology.
Causes of infant room septal defect
Atrial septal defect is a relatively common congenital heart disease in infants and young children. The causes of atrial septal defects are not very clear, but modern medicine considers that it may be related to the mother having a cold during pregnancy or taking certain medications, or to certain physical and chemical factors during pregnancy. Generally, atrial septal defects are not inherited and are not largely related to genetics.
How to treat atrial septal defect
Typical cardiac murmur ECG and X-ray findings may suggest the presence of an atrial septal defect. An echocardiogram can confirm the diagnosis, and it should be differentiated from conditions such as anomalous pulmonary venous return, pulmonary valve stenosis, and small ventricular septal defects. For the treatment of atrial septal defects, in adult patients, if echocardiographic evidence of increased right ventricular volume load is present, the defect should be closed as soon as possible. Treatment options include interventional and open-heart surgical procedures. Before the implementation of interventional surgeries, all cases of simple atrial septal defects that have caused hemodynamic changes, with signs of increased pulmonary blood flow, enlargement of the atria and ventricles, and corresponding ECG findings, should undergo surgical treatment. In older patients with severe pulmonary hypertension, surgical treatment should be approached with caution.
Can a ventricular septal defect heal itself?
Traditional views suggest that the best age to close atrial septal defects (ASDs) is between four and five years old, during preschool. The possibility of spontaneous closure of atrial septal defects larger than 8 millimeters in diameter is very low. If the defect is less than 4 millimeters, there is a possibility of healing. Currently, it is advocated that if an atrial septal defect still exists after the age of one year, and there is evident systolic murmur and fixed splitting of the second heart sound, or if heart catheterization and echocardiography show left-to-right shunting greater than 1.5:1, indicating a defect diameter of five to six millimeters or more, early surgery should be pursued to stop the left-to-right shunt to avoid causing pulmonary hypertension and endocarditis.
Is a 12mm atrial septal defect serious?
Atrial septal defect (ASD) is a fairly common congenital heart disease in pediatric cardiology. For infants and young children, atrial septal defects can be categorized based on their size into three types: A large atrial septal defect typically refers to a defect larger than 10 millimeters. A medium atrial septal defect generally refers to a defect that ranges from 5 to 10 millimeters. A small atrial septal defect usually refers to a defect that is less than 5 millimeters. Therefore, for an infant or young child, an atrial septal defect measuring 12 millimeters would indeed be considered quite severe.
Symptoms of an infant's room septal defect
Symptoms of ventricular septal defect in infants are as follows: 1. Symptoms: If the mother had intrauterine infections within the first three months of pregnancy, was exposed to significant amounts of radiation, took teratogenic medications, or had metabolic disorders, these factors could contribute to the condition. The patient is prone to recurrent respiratory infections and exhibits symptoms of palpitations, shortness of breath, fatigue, and excessive sweating. If these symptoms worsen after physical activity or crying and are accompanied by cyanosis, congenital heart disease should be considered. Cyanosis can intensify during severe crying episodes, pneumonia, or heart failure in infants, and may be accompanied by a hoarse voice. 2. Physical signs: Notable findings include a bulging in the precordial area and diffuse apical impulse. A soft, systolic murmur can be heard between the second and third ribs along the left margin of the sternum.