Atrial septal defect risk factors
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editors-In-Chief: Priyamvada Singh, MBBS [[2]]; Cafer Zorkun, M.D., Ph.D. [3]; Assistant Editor-In-Chief: Kristin Feeney, B.S. [[4]]
Overview
The cause of atrial septal defects is not known. There does appear to be a genetic component to the disease as it often occurs in patients with Down syndrome. As a parent, if you or a sibling of a child have a congenital heart defect, then you should consider genetic counseling.
If the mother contracts rubella (german measles) during pregnancy, this can increase the risk of congenital heart disease. In one study, exposure to alcohol during pregnancy doubled the risk of an atrial septal defect[1].