MORTALITY FROM CONGENITAL CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE IN OREGON
Over one half of the deaths from all congenital malformations were due to congenital cardiovascular disease. There were 496 individuals who died of congenital cardiovascular disease in Oregon during 1957 thru 1961, and three fourths of the deaths occurred in infants under 1 year of age. More males were affected by congenital cardiovascular disease than females, but, when congenital cardiovascular disease was present, the length of survival, as measured by life span, did not differ by sex. One out of every four infants dying of congenital cardiovascular disease was of low birth weight; of these, 60% were over 37 weeks' gestation. However, there was no difference in the life span of low birth weight and normal birth weight infants who died with congenital cardiovascular disease. This would imply that the significant factor of death in these infants was the cardiac malformation rather than the low birth weight. One out of every three infants who died with congenital cardiovascular disease had malformations of other systems. Fewer deaths than expected were identified among first born. Fetal deaths were noted more frequently in the population of mothers of children with congenital heart disease than in the overall population. The parental age in this group was significantly higher than in the general population and death rates of infants with congenital cardiovascular disease increased with advancing parental age. Thirty-two percent of the infants who died with congenital cardiovascular disease had single lesions. Early diagnosis and treatment is to be stressed if mortality is to be reduced.