Baby Luna's CDH Story: June 2012

June 11, 2012

Luna, meet Beach

Yesterday was a fun day (aside from the horrible parking mission). We took a trip down the shore to Belmar for the annual Seafood Festival. It was exciting because Luna got her first glimpse at the ocean. I think she liked it.

What is Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia (CDH)?

CDH is characterized by the development, very early in gestation, of a hole in the diaphragm, the breathing muscle that separates the chest from the abdomen. As a result, the intestines and other abdominal organs can move into the chest and compress the developing lungs. This prevents the lungs from growing and developing normally which can cause reduced blood flow to the lungs and pulmonary hypertension.

CDH occurs in about 1 in every 2, 500 live births. The cause of CDH is not yet known. Roughly 50% of babies born with CDH do not survive. Of the 50% that do survive, most will endure long hospital stays, feeding issues, asthma, and other medical problems.