Incidence

Incidence

Cardiac defects are the most common congenital abnormalities in the UK; the incidence of significant cardiac abnormalities is 8 per 1000 live births. Many spontaneous abortions or stillbirths have cardiac malformations or chromosomal abnor malities associated with structural heart defects. In neonates and children with congenital heart disease, 15% will have more than one cardiac abnormality and 15% will have another extracardiac abnormality .