Incidence of congenital heart disease

  Congenital heart disease is a malformation disease caused by abnormal development of heart vessels during embryonic period. According to the condition survey by the relevant national health authorities, the incidence is about 0.7-0.8% of births, and the common ones are ventricular septal defect, atrial septal defect, tetralogy of Fallot, patent ductus arteriosus and other complex malformations.  In general, some children with congenital heart disease, especially those with severe and complex anomalies, die weeks or months after birth, so more complex cardiovascular anomalies are less common in older children than in younger children. In recent years, due to the application of advanced instruments such as cardiovascular screening, cardiovascular radiography and echocardiography, as well as the development of cryoanesthesia and direct cardiac surgery under extracorporeal circulation, many common congenital heart diseases have been diagnosed early and accurately, and most can be completely cured and become physically healthy.  However, China is still a developing country. According to the estimation of government departments, due to years of accumulation, there are more than 4 million patients suffering from precocious heart disease have not received timely medical treatment, and there are still about 150,000 children born with precocious heart disease every year, of which only 60,000-80,000 are in a position to receive treatment, and most of the remaining children lose their chance to be cured or even lose their lives because their families do not receive timely treatment due to financial difficulties. Most of these poor children are located in economically underdeveloped areas and remote rural areas, and some families in need cannot afford the medical expenses even if they sell their houses and land.