5. Avoid alcohol
It is advised that both men and women drink no more than 14 units of alcohol per week, with at least a few days without alcohol. Everyone is affected differently by alcohol. The overall impact it has on the body depends on a person’s size, weight, whether they’ve eaten, the type of drink they’re drinking, age, gender, and, most importantly, their overall health. Women are more susceptible to heart disease than men. Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol can have a serious negative impact on their cardiovascular health. Alcohol abuse can cause problems with the heart and blood vessels including cardiomyopathy, or poisoning of the heart and its muscle cells. A heartbeat that is erratic is referred to as an arrhythmia. elevated blood pressure, heart failure, heart attacks, and strokes.
Key Takeaways
Scientists don’t have all the answers yet as to what causes heart defects other than random gene mutations. But, there are things that place you at higher risk (smoking, alcohol, certain medications, etc.) and these should be avoided during pregnancy. There are otherwise no proven strategies to prevent CHD. So you should follow your healthcare provider’s instructions during pregnancy as above. Talk to them about congenital heart disease prevention.
Learn more about Congenital Heart Disease here.
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