Coarctation of the aorta (COA) is a heart defect that is present at birth (congenital). It means the aorta is narrower than it should be. The aorta is the large artery that carries oxygen-rich (red) blood from the left ventricle to the body.

Coarctation of the aorta (CoA) is a heart defect some babies are born with. CoA means your child’s aorta — a large artery — is pinched or narrowed in one spot. This interferes with normal blood flow in your child’s body and may overtax their heart.

A baby may develop congestive heart failure or high blood pressure. If the obstruction is mild, the heart won't be very overworked and symptoms may not occur. In some children and adolescents, coarctation is discovered only after high blood pressure is found.

Coarctation of the aorta is a congenital defect, meaning that a baby is born with it. Doctors aren't sure why some people develop COA, but boys are almost twice as likely to have it than girls. In a baby with a coarctation, the aortic arch also might be smaller than usual (hypoplastic).

With coarctation of the aorta in children, the portion of the aorta just after the upper-body arteries branch off is too narrow; this results in reduced blood flow to the lower body. Because of this narrowing, the left ventricle of the heart must pump much harder than normal to move blood through the aorta to the lower body.

Coarctation of aorta (CoA) is a discrete narrowing in aorta causing obstruction to the flow of blood. It accounts for 6–8% of all congenital heart diseases. With advances in fetal echocardiography rate of prenatal diagnosis of coarctation of aorta has improved but it still remains a challenging diagnosis to make prenatally.

This leaflet is to help you understand what Coarctation of the aorta is, what tests you need and the implication of being diagnosed with Coarctation of the aorta for your baby and your family. What is a Coarctation of the Aorta (CoA)? Coarctation of the Aorta is …

What is coarctation of the aorta in children? Coarctation of the aorta (COA) is a heart defect that is present at birth (congenital). It means the aorta is narrower than it should be. The aorta is the large artery that carries oxygen-rich blood from the left ventricle to the body.

Coarctation of the aorta (Coa) is a potentially life threatening diagnosis. It occurs in 0.3 per 1000 live births and accounts for 6-8% of all infants with congenital heart defects. Neonates with severe Coa may be completely asymptomatic at birth, as the …

The most common physical finding for coarctation of the aorta in an infant is that the baby’s femoral (leg) pulses are weak and difficult for the doctor to feel. In some cases, coarctation of the aorta may not be detected until school age, adolescence or even adulthood — often during a routine blood pressure test.