Which two congenital defects are cited as cyanotic conditions in newborns?

• A. 1 and 3 only
• B. 2 and 4 only
• C. 1 and 2 only
• D. 1 and 4 only

Answer: (C)

Cyanosis in newborns with congenital heart disease happens when deoxygenated blood mixes into the systemic circulation, usually through a right-to-left shunt or mixing of blood. Tetralogy of Fallot and Transposition of the great arteries are the classic cyanotic defects seen at birth because they create or require mixing to sustain systemic oxygenation, leading to visible blue coloring early in life. The other listed defects typically cause left-to-right shunts or increased pulmonary blood flow without early systemic desaturation, so they are not cyanotic in the newborn period. Therefore, the two cyanotic defects described are Tetralogy of Fallot and Transposition of the great arteries, which is why the option including those two is the best choice.