. >> looking at 6-month-old spencer gilman you would never know that he's undergone more surgeries thane people have in a life time. that's because before he was even born, doctors found a defect in spencer's heart. >> his tricuspid valve didn't form properly and he has a three-chamber heart instead of a four-chamber heart. i was so distraught. i thought is he going to survive? will he make it until he's born? >> spencer is actually one of the lucky ones. doctors were able to identify the condition during his mother's 21-week pregnancy ultrasound. so just days after he was born, surgeons were already prepared to fix the valve, the first of three surgeries to repair his heart. >> we have a baby come to us soon enough and is recognized early enough before they get sir, most of the heart diseases that we take care of have great outcomes. the problem is that babies sometimes don't make it to us before they become quite sick. >> dr. philip spevak specializes in pediatric cardiac, of the babies born with heart defects every year only half will be diagnosed before they leave the hospital. >> i

looking at 6-month-old spencer gilman, you would never know he had already undergone more surgeries thate in a lifetime. that's because before he was even born, doctors found a defect in spencer's heart. >> his try cuspid valve didn't form properly so she has a three-chamber heart instead of a four-chamber heart. i was just distraught thinking will he survive? >> reporter: but spencer is one of the lucky ones. doctors were able to identify the condition during his mother's 21-week pregnancy ultrasound. just days after he was born, surgeons were already prepared to fix the valve, the first of three surgeries to repair his heart. >> if we have the baby come to us soon enough and it's recognized early enough before they get sick, most of the heart diseases that we take care of have great outcomes. the problem is that babies sometimes don't make it to us before they become quite sick. >> reporter: dr. philip spevak specializes at john hopkins children's center. he said of the hundreds born with heart defects every year, only half will be diagnosed before they leave the hospital. >> if they a