Babies born with heart defects may be at increased risk for cancer within the first 10 years of life, according to new research that suggests mothers may also be at risk.

"Our research highlights the importance of maternal factors and genetic traits and understanding how they may be connected," said study author Dr June Huh, a professor of cardiology in the department of paediatrics at the Heart Vascular Stroke Institute at Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine in Seoul, Korea.