Vice is ... Congenital malformations. Heart valve flaw

Congenital malformation is what? The answer to this question you will learn from the article. In addition, we will tell you about what types of vices exist, why they develop and so on.

General information on congenital malformations

Vice is an abnormal development, as well as a set of any deviations from the normal (standard) structure of the human body that arise during the intrauterine development (less often postpartum).

As a rule, such changes are formed under the influence of various internal and external factors (for example, hormonal disorders, heredity, inferiority of germ cells, viral infection, ionizing radiation, lack of oxygen, etc.). From the second half of the twentieth century, specialists began to note a significant increase in pathological changes. The most common congenital malformations are found in people living in developed countries.

Probable causes

In 40-60% of people, the reasons for these deviations are unknown. To these patients a term is used that sounds like a "sporadic birth defect". This expression indicates a random occurrence or unknown cause, as well as a reduced risk of recurrence in the next generation.

For 20-25% of people, congenital malformations are formed from a "multifactorial" cause, that is, the complex interaction of genetic defects (often small ones) or environmental risk factors . 10-13% of the anomalies are associated only with the environmental impact. And only 12-25% of vices have exclusively genetic causes of development.

So, let's consider in more detail why some people have congenital malformations.

Teratogenic factors

The effect of such factors depends on their dosage. Differences in teratogenic effects in different biological species can be associated with the characteristics of metabolism, absorption, the ability of the substance to penetrate the placenta and spread throughout the body.

The most popular and studied teratogenic factors

The developmental defect is most often observed in those who are exposed to the following effects:

• Infectious diseases that are transmitted from the mother to the fetus. A number of such viral diseases suffered during childbearing, such as mumps, rubella or inclusive cytomegalia, may well contribute to the development of malformation.
• Alcohol. Of particular importance is the alcoholism of parents, or rather, the mother. Drinking alcohol during pregnancy can easily lead to the formation of fetal alcohol syndrome.
• Ionizing radiation. The impact of radioactive isotopes, as well as X-rays can have a negative effect on the genetic apparatus. It should also be noted that radiation (ionizing) also has a toxic effect. This fact is the cause of most congenital anomalies.
• Medications. To date, there are no such medications that would be considered completely safe for the fetus, especially in the first 2 trimester of pregnancy.
• Nicotine. Smoking future mothers (during pregnancy) can easily lead to the fact that the child will lag behind in physical development.
• Nutrient deficiencies. The lack of a number of nutrients (for example, iodine, myo-inositol, folate, etc.) is a proven risk factor for congenital heart defects and neural tube defects.

Consider such a common anomaly, as a valvular heart disease, in more detail.

Heart diseases

Heart disease is a pathological change in valves, large intrathoracic vessels, and also partitions of the heart, as a result of which normal blood flow is disrupted. It should be noted that such deviations can be both acquired and congenital.

More often, the heart valve flaws are caused by the excessive struggle of the immune forces of the human body with the harmful microorganisms penetrated into it. Treatment of this deviation is reduced to the replacement of natural, but damaged valves, by artificial surgical intervention.

When the defect develops

This pathological phenomenon (any type) is most often formed during embryonic morphogenesis (that is, at the 3rd-10th week). This fact is connected with the fact that at this time the processes of reproduction, differentiation, migration and cell death are violated. Such phenomena occur at interstitial, intracellular, interorgan, extracellular, organ and tissue levels.

Existing types

Congenital malformation is the broadest category, which includes completely different conditions: from minor physical anomalies (for example, large moles, birthmarks, etc.) to serious disorders of individual systems (eg, heart valve flaw, limb flaws, etc.). There are also combination anomalies that affect several parts of the body at the same time. Defects of metabolism are also considered congenital malformations.

In medical practice, there are three main types of congenital malformations:

• Congenital errors of metabolism;
• Congenital physical anomalies;
• Other genetic defects.

Frequency of occurrence

Long-term studies of congenital anomalies have shown that one or another developmental fetus is manifested with a certain frequency, depending on the sex of the child. For example, a club-shaped foot and pyloric stenosis are most often found in boys, and congenital dislocation of the femur is in girls.

Among those children who were born with one kidney, more representatives of the stronger sex. It should also be noted that most anomalies such as excess number of ribs, teeth, vertebrae and other organs are found among newborn girls.

List of malformations

Today there is a huge number of malformations. Most often they are detected during an ultrasound examination of the mother. If the anomaly is serious enough, the woman is offered to interrupt pregnancy. This is due, first of all, to the fact that the born child will be endangered all his life and feel incomplete (depending on the type of anomalies).

Let's look at together, what are the evils of development:

• Aortic defect;
• Atresia of jejunum ;
• Lung agenesis;
• Acrania;
• Bilateral renal agenesis;
• Anencephaly;
• Congenital dislocation of the hip;
• Unilateral renal agenesis;
• Atresia of the esophagus;
• Congenital cloaca;
• albinism;
• Association VACTERL;
• Aplasia of the lung;
• cleft palate;
• Atresia of the anus;
• Clavate foot;
• Down's disease ;
• Congenital cretinism;
• Congenital megacolon;
• Congenital heart diseases;
• hydrocephalus;
• Hernia;
• Hypoplasia of the lung;
• Diverticula of the esophagus;
• Syndactyly;
• Polysomy of the X chromosome;
• Meckel's diverticulum;
• The Patau syndrome ;
• Cleft lip;
• Polythelium;
• Klinefelter's syndrome;
• Cryptorchidism;
• Defects of the genital organs;
• clubfoot;
• The Klippel-Feil syndrome;
• Megacolon;
• Cat's scream syndrome;
• microcephaly;
• Shereshevsky-Turner syndrome;
• Underdevelopment of the femoral and tibia;
• Fetal alcohol syndrome;
• Omphalocele;
• Spinal hernia;
• Fibrodysplasia;
• Pyloric stenosis;
• Polydactyly;
• Edwards syndrome ;
• Cyclopia;
• Craniocerebral hernia;
• Bladder exstrophy;
• Epispadia;
• Ectrodactyly.

Let's sum up the results

As you can see, there are quite a few congenital malformations that occur in the fetus during the intrauterine period of development. To avoid such anomalies in your child, future parents should avoid the impact of factors contributing to their education. Thus, it is recommended that future mothers and fathers refuse to drink alcoholic beverages 6-9 months before conception, and not use them during pregnancy (for women). In addition, you should quit smoking, avoid places where there can be ionizing radiation, do not take medications not prescribed by a doctor, often go outdoors and take all the necessary vitamins and minerals.