Ventricular septal defect

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Heart, front view

Heart, section through the middle

Ventricular septal defect

VSD; Interventricular septal defect

Except for the case of heart attack associated VSD, this condition is always present at birth.

Drinking alcohol and using the antiseizure medicines depakote and dilantin during pregnancy have been associated with increased incidence of VSDs. Other than avoiding these two things during pregnancy, there is no known way to prevent a VSD.

Review Date: 05/30/2006
Reviewed By: Anne J. L. Chun, MD, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Cardiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.