Maternity
Introduction
Congratulations on the birth of your new baby.
Your baby has just had a detailed newborn examination and was found to have a heart murmur. We know that you may find this very worrying and upsetting. We would like to reassure you that the large majority of these murmurs disappear on their own within the next few hours, days or weeks.
What is a heart murmur?
A heart murmur is an extra sound heard in addition to the normal heartbeats when listening with a stethoscope. The sounds are made by blood passing through the valves and blood vessels of the heart. Sometimes the sounds are made from blood passing through holes in the heart.
Heart murmurs are common in the newborn period and can be found in up to 60 per cent of babies.
Does a heart murmur mean my child has a heart problem?
The term heart murmur is not a diagnosis of a heart problem. Although a small number of murmurs can be a sign of a problem with the heart, the majority of babies with a heart murmur never have a heart problem.
Those who do have heart problems usually have other symptoms which may become more obvious in the first few days of life. These symptoms include rapid breathing, feeding difficulties, blue lips and failure to gain weight. In other babies there are no other symptoms or signs, apart from the heart murmur.
However, it is important to advise any healthcare professional who sees you that your baby has a heart murmur.
What will happen to the murmur?
Most murmurs disappear as babies grow. In some babies, the murmurs can persist into childhood without anything being wrong with the heart. This is usually known as an ‘innocent’ murmur.
What happens now?
We will check your baby’s oxygen saturation levels. This a non-invasive test where a probe is placed around your baby’s right hand and left foot, to measure the amount of oxygen in their blood. The paediatrician on-call will then review your baby.
If the murmur is no longer present, you and your baby will be able to go home and you will see your GP for a routine check in six to eight weeks. A community midwife will visit you and your baby at home. The hospital midwife will tell you when this visit will be before you leave the hospital.
If the murmur can still be heard, the paediatrician will discuss with you a plan of care for your baby and any further tests and follow up appointments that may be required.
When I go home should I watch for anything?
Most babies will not have any problems at home. However, please contact your GP or Accident and Emergency department if you have concerns, or if your baby has any of the following symptoms:
These symptoms do not necessarily mean your baby has a heart problem but you should still ask for advice.
Can I find out more?
For information on heart murmurs, see the following websites:
http://www.patient.co.uk/doctor/Heart-Murmurs-in-Children.htm
http://kidshealth.org/parent/medical/heart/murmurs.html
If you have any concerns, please do not hesitate to speak to the midwife or paediatrician before you and your baby go home.
If you have any questions, or if there is anything you do not understand, please contact the Russells Hall Hospital switchboard number on (01384) 456111 and ask for the relevant department who issued this leaflet.
This leaflet can be made available in large print, audio version and in other languages, please call 0800 073 0510.