Our sweet Ivy was born on January 4, 2022. During her newborn screening, we were informed that she had a heart murmur and that cardiology would need to do further testing and scans. Our joy was immediately ripped away by the fear of what this could mean. We were told that Ivy may have a heart condition, but after consulting with a colleague, it would probably correct itself. Optimistic, we were discharged from the hospital and ready to figure out our lives as now, parents of three.
The weeks following were several follow-up appointments with cardiology as a precaution to completely rule out the heart condition. On February 7th, our worst nightmare had become reality.
What the specialists had been trying to rule out was now crystal clear. Ivy needed surgery, and not just any surgery, heart surgery. We were devastated.
Ivy was diagnosed with coarctation of the aorta, which is the narrowing of the tube leading from the heart delivering blood to the body. This critical heart birth defect forces the heart to pump blood harder than normal.
Doctors aren’t certain what causes coarctation of the aorta. The condition is generally present at birth (congenital). Congenital heart defects are the most common of all birth defects.
