Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia (CDH) is a
birth defect that occurs when the diaphragm
does not fully form, allowing organs to
enter the chest cavity preventing lung
growth. CDH strikes 1 in every 2500 babies1,
of all races, religious backgrounds, and
financial status - no matter how well the
prenatal care.
Nearly
4 million babies are born in the United
States each year. This means that
approximately 1600 babies are born with
CDH each year - in the U.S. alone!
There are more babies born with CDH than
with
Cystic Fibrosis
(1 in 3900) and it's almost as common as
Spina Bifida
(7 in 10,000)
2
- yet, you probably have never heard of it
until it affected someone that you love.
The
cause of Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia is
not yet known.
We need to find the
cause please donate to help in
CDH Research
!
50% of
babies born with CDH do not survive and
sometimes the remaining 50% have to overcome
very difficult medical complications. Many
CDH babies have minor lasting health
problems such as feeding aversions, asthma,
scoliosis, or short-term oxygen dependency.
A small number have major lasting health
problems such as ventilator dependency,
brain damage, or hearing problems. Many
patients have no long-lasting medical
problems at all other than a scar from the
CDH repair. CDH can occur alone or with
other birth defects, and rarely, it occurs
as part of a syndrome.
Every CDH baby is different, there is no way
to predict the outcome of any patient.
Some babies with no diaphragm and little
lung growth have survived, while some babies
with full lungs do not. These children are
very different, requiring different
treatments, and varying amounts of medical
support.
