A cardiologist specialised in the care of adult congenital heart disease, pregnancy-related heart disease and congenital heart pulmonary hypertension.

Why do you need to see them?

Adults who were born with heart issues need ongoing, specialized care throughout their lives. Adult congenital heart specialists help with the transition from pediatric to adult heart care—and will schedule the first visit at any age. New issues can surface at any time in life—even if an adult with congenital heart problems is feeling healthy—and these specialists can monitor them to detect potential problems early and treat complications or new issues as they arise, helping to avoid urgent interventions. They can discuss exercise, fertility, childbearing issues, and other lifestyle topics, and advise on scheduling routine checkups with them, depending on your situation.

What do they do?

Adult congenital heart specialists can provide you with lifelong care if you have been diagnosed with a heart problem that developed before you were born. Whether the problem was treated in childhood with surgery or catheterization procedures or found years later, an adult congenital heart specialist can help you manage your condition.

What else you should know?

A congenital heart specialist can advise on how your condition could affect the choice of medications for certain conditions—for women, for example, a congenital heart defect can affect the type of birth control they choose. While this may not be the most fun topic to think about, it’s important to be informed and understand all of your options so that you can make the best decision for your health.

If you have a congenital heart defect, you may still be able to have a successful pregnancy. But it’s important to talk to your doctor about any risks that could threaten your safety during pregnancy and childbirth. You should also ask about possible genetic risks for your baby. (Both men and women can pass congenital heart disease along to their children.)