Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 22, 2025

Implantation of Total Artificial Heart in Congenital Heart Disease
07:27

Implantation of Total Artificial Heart in Congenital Heart Disease

Published on: July 18, 2014

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Lifelong Care of Females With Congenital Heart Disease

Rose Tompkins1, Prashanth Venkatesh1, Adam J Small2

  • 1The Guerin Family Congenital Heart Program, Smidt Heart Institute, Department of Cardiology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA (R.T., P.V.).

Circulation Research
|March 13, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Over 90% of children with congenital heart disease (CHD) now survive to adulthood, with females facing unique lifelong health needs. This review highlights sex-specific considerations for lifelong CHD care and research.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Reproductive Health
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Medical advancements have dramatically improved survival rates for congenital heart disease (CHD), leading to more adults living with the condition.
  • Females constitute a majority of the adult CHD population, necessitating a focus on sex-specific health considerations.
  • Understanding the lifelong continuum of care for females with CHD is crucial for optimizing long-term outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the unique health needs and lifelong considerations for females with congenital heart disease (CHD).
  • To inform both pediatric and adult healthcare providers about optimizing care for female CHD patients.
  • To advocate for research on the long-term impact of health exposures, including pregnancy, on females with CHD.

Main Methods:

  • This is a review article, synthesizing current understanding of sex-specific differences in CHD.
  • It examines lifelong health exposures and experiences relevant to females with CHD.
  • The review considers implications for sexual and reproductive health, acquired cardiovascular disease risk, and surveillance.

Main Results:

  • Females with CHD experience unique challenges related to sexual and reproductive health.
  • Sex-specific differences influence the risk and incidence of acquired cardiovascular diseases in females with CHD.
  • Lifelong care for females with CHD is a cumulative process influenced by cumulative health exposures.

Conclusions:

  • There is an evolving understanding of the critical role of sex-specific differences in long-term outcomes for females with CHD.
  • Optimizing care requires recognizing the continuum of health needs throughout a female's life.
  • Further research is essential to evaluate the impact of pregnancy and other exposures on quality of life and survival in females with CHD.

Keywords:
femaleheart defects, congenitalpregnancyreproductive health

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