Bangladesh has no nationwide data to say the prevalence of the disease, but birth heart defects are seen in about six out of 1,000 babies in the world. Apollo organised a ‘patient forum for Paediatric Cardiology Department’ on Thursday to make people aware of the disease. Clinical and Interventional Paediatric Cardiologist Dr Tahera Nazrin said heart diseases of children are “curable and preventable”. Doctors advise women of childbearing age to take vaccine against rubella virus to prevent babies suffering from birth heart defects. But it can have severe effects on an unborn child like heart defects, mental retardation, deafness, and blindness if the virus infects a pregnant woman.

Source: bd News24 January 10, 2019 11:03 UTC