February is American Heart Month, and at Feeding Matters, we are constantly striving to raise awareness about pediatric heart conditions and their relationship to feeding struggles. Below, you will find some statistics about congenital heart defects, according to the CDC: Number of U.S. Babies Born with CHDs

• CHDs affect nearly 1% of―or about 40,000―births per year in the United States.
• The prevalence (the number of babies born with heart defect compared to the total number of births) of some CHDs, especially mild types, is increasing, while the prevalence of other types has remained stable. The most common type of heart defect is a ventricular septal defect (VSD).
• About 25% of babies with a CHD have a critical CHD. Infants with critical CHDs generally need surgery or other procedures in their first year of life.
• The prevalence of all types of CHDs, including critical CHDs, varies by state and by type of defect.

We are so thankful for the many healthcare professionals who are committed to finding solutions and serving every patient’s needs. Source: https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/heartdefects/data.html