No expecting parent wants to hear that her unborn child has a birth defect, much less a life-threatening one. Unfortunately, things may go wrong in a fetus's development that lead to some unborn babies to develop congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). This defect is characterized by a hole in the diaphragm that allows abdominal contents to rise into the chest; these contents then prevent the full development of the lungs and may even affect the heart.

Even though the time after the discovery of the defect is a confusing and emotional time for the parents-to-be, there are several things that should be done in preparation.

Learn About Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia

The best thing that parents expecting a CDH child can do is to educate themselves about this birth defect. The article “What is Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia” explains how this defect is diagnosed, the factors for the baby's survival rate, and long-term effects on survivors.

There are many other online sources of information: several hospitals provide information on CDH and their institution's treatment procedures, parents of CDH angels and survivors write about their experiences in personal blogs, and yet other websites have medical articles with even more details.

Overall, congenital diaphragmatic hernia is not an easy thing to deal with. Even if a baby has a high survival rate from the hernia, he or she may go on to develop other problems such as reflux, oral aversion, hearing loss, scoliosis, and developmental delays. Many of these require ongoing care and observation by doctors or therapists for the first few years of the baby's life.

Babies With Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia are Susceptible to Disease

Also, all survivors of this defect suffer from underdeveloped lungs and are more susceptible to respiratory illnesses. Respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, is a highly contagious virus that would lead to a CDH survivor's hospitalization. It is highly recommended to stay away from crowded places during seasons of flu and RSV.

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