A Yale New Haven Health cardiologist says medical technology is making it easier to diagnose and treat children and adults born with heart defects.

Congenital heart defects are detected at birth and impact the structure of a baby's heart.

Dr. Robert Elder, a cardiologist at Yale New Haven Health and Yale Medicine, says 70% of the time, doctors are able to diagnose an issue or defect prenatally with an echo cardiogram or ultrasound.

Technology can also help provide patients with minimally invasive treatment.

"We can replace a valve in the [catheterization] lab. For some of my patients who already had two or three open heart surgeries when they're younger, that's a revolutionary approach to fixing their heart and replacing a valve. And recovery time is substantially improved," Elder says.

Elder says while some health issues associated with defects can vary, some issues do not show up in people until later in life.

"There's some really complicated forms of congenital heart disease. Probably about a quarter of forms will need some kind of surgery or intervention within the first year of a baby's life. But there are also milder forms of congenital heart disease – for example an atrial septal defect which is a hole between the top chambers of the heart that may present later on in adolescence or even adulthood," he says.

Elder says even after people receive treatment and live an active life, it's important for them to keep up with their heart health. He says this applies even if one's defect has been repaired or is minor.

"There may be additional issues that develop over time. For example, you can have a very good repair but be at much higher risk for heart rhythm problems," he says.