A ventricular septal defect happens during pregnancy if the wall that forms between the two ventricles does not fully develop, leaving a hole. A ventricular septal ...SkipdirectlytositecontentSkipdirectlytopageoptionsSkipdirectlytoA-ZlinkCongenitalHeartDefects(CHDs)SectionNavigationCDCHomeFacebookTwitterLinkedInSyndicateFactsaboutVentricularSeptalDefectEspañol(Spanish)MinusRelatedPagesClickheretoviewalargerimageAventricularseptaldefect(pronouncedven·tric·u·larsep·talde·fect)(VSD)isabirthdefectoftheheartinwhichthereisaholeinthewall(septum)thatseparatesthetwolowerchambers(ventricles)oftheheart.Thiswallalsoiscalledtheventricularseptum.WhatisaVentricularSeptalDefectAventricularseptaldefecthappensduringpregnancyifthewallthatformsbetweenthetwoventriclesdoesnotfullydevelop,leavingahole.Aventricularseptaldefectisonetypeofcongenitalheartdefect.Congenitalmeanspresentatbirth.Inababywithoutacongenitalheartdefect,therightsideoftheheartpumpsoxygen-poorbloodfromthehearttothelungs,andtheleftsideoftheheartpumpsoxygen-richbloodtotherestofthebody.Inbabieswithaventricularseptaldefect,bloodoftenflowsfromtheleftventriclethroughtheventricularseptaldefecttotherightventricleandintothelungs.Thisextrabloodbeingpumpedintothelungsforcestheheartandlungstoworkharder.Overtime,ifnotrepaired,thisdefectcanincreasetheriskforothercomplications,includingheartfailure,highbloodpressureinthelungs(calledpulmonaryhypertension),irregularheartrhythms(calledarrhythmia),orstroke.Learnmoreabouthowtheheartworks»TypesofVentricularSeptalDefectsClickheretoviewalargerimageAninfantwithaventricularseptaldefectcanhaveoneormoreholesindifferentplacesoftheseptum.Thereareseveralnamesfortheseholes.Somecommonlocationsandnamesare(seefigure):ConoventricularVentricularSeptalDefectIngeneral,thisisaholewhereportionsoftheventricularseptumshouldmeetjustbelowthepulmonaryandaorticvalves.PerimembranousVentricularSeptalDefectThisisaholeintheuppersectionoftheventricularseptum.InletVentricularSeptalDefectThisisaholeintheseptumneartowhereth