Final answer:
An atrial septal defect (ASD) is a congenital heart condition characterized by a hole in the atrial septum. The correct information to provide about ASD includes the baby becoming cyanotic due to abnormal blood flow, the potential increase in the heart's workload, but not the presence of a murmur or a slowed heart rate due to high red blood cell count.
Step-by-step explanation:
An atrial septal defect (ASD) is a congenital heart condition characterized by a hole in the atrial septum, the wall that separates the two upper chambers of the heart. Here are appropriate explanations for each option:
- The baby becomes cyanotic because the blood is flowing through a hole from the right side of the heart to the left side of the heart. This is an accurate statement. In ASD, blood can flow from the left atrium to the right atrium, leading to an abnormal mixing of oxygenated and deoxygenated blood, resulting in cyanosis.
- The baby has a murmur because there is a hole between the aorta and the pulmonary artery. This statement is not correct. A ventricular septal defect (VSD) can cause a murmur due to a hole between the ventricles, but it is not associated with an atrial septal defect.
- The baby's heart is working harder than a normal heart because some of its blood is reentering the pulmonary system. This statement is partially accurate. In an ASD, the extra blood flowing through the pulmonary system can increase the volume of blood that the heart has to pump, leading to increased workload.
- The baby's heart rate is slowed because of the high number of red blood cells in the blood. This statement is not related to atrial septal defect. A high number of red blood cells, known as polycythemia, can occur in some cases of congenital heart defects, but it is not specific to ASD.