In 2004, like most pregnant women, I was excited and nervous about what the future held for my family. Would my little girl be healthy or would she be born like me with a congenital heart defect? As an adult living with such a chronic illness, I knew what it entailed; a life faced with numerous hospital visits, surgeries and procedures. Luckily, she was healthy and strong, but many mothers aren't so lucky. Congenital heart defects or diseases (CHD) are defined as “conditions present at birth that can affect the structure of a baby's heart and how it functions (“Mortality As of” 2011). » These defects range from mild to severe and impact the infant's blood flow throughout the heart and body (“Facts about,” 2014). The most complex or severe coronary heart diseases are considered critical congenital heart disease (CCHD) and typically require surgery or catheterization within the first year of life (“Facts about,” 2014). Coronary heart disease is the leading birth defect in the United States, affecting 1 in 100 live births. It is also the leading cause of infant-related deaths (“About CHF,” 2012). The American Heart Association (AHA) states that approximately 4 to 10 infants are born with coronary heart disease and approximately 1,500 of them do not survive to their first birthday (“Small Hearts,” 2012). With this compelling data, I am encouraged that Healthy People 2020 has included coronary heart disease as a target goal for maternal, child and child health. The overall goal of maternal, infant and child health topics is to improve the well-being of mothers, infants and children. in the United States. This population not only determines the health of the next generation, but also serves as a forecast for the future of public health ("Maternity, Infant and Child", 2013)........ middle of document..... . Child Nursing, 4th edition. WB Saunders Company, 2013. VitalBook file. Raingruber, B. (2014). Contemporary health promotion in nursing practice. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.T, Katheryn. (February 10, 2014). [The pulse]. Our #CHDWeek message: Pulse Ox saves lives! Retrieved from. http://yourethecure.org/aha/advocacy/details.aspx?BlogId=1&PostId=2465 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Healthy People 2020. (September 18, 2013). Data2020 search results. Retrieved from. http://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/Data/SearchResult.aspx?topicid=26&topic=Maternal, %20Infant,%20and%20Child%20Health&objective=MICH-1.7&anchor=85903U.S. Department of Health and Social Services, Healthy People 2020. (November 13, 2013). Maternal, infant and child health. Retrieved from. http://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topicsobjectives2020/overview. aspx?topicide=26