Patterns, prevalence, risk factors, and survival of newborns with congenital heart defects in a Saudi population: a three-year, cohort case-control study

Background Congenital heart defects (CHD) are the most common types of birth defects. The prevalence of CHD, mostly from retrospective studies, ranges between 2.1 and 10.7/1000 live births. For physicians to provide appropriate health care, it is important to know the prevalence of CHD within their patient populations. In this prospective study, we assessed the prevalence, risk factors, types, and survival of CHD among babies born to Saudi mothers over a three-year period.