How are congenital disorders different from genetic disorders?

The terms "congenital" and "genetic" are often confused, but they refer to distinct concepts regarding the origin and timing of a disorder.

• Congenital disorders are abnormalities of structure or function that exist at or date from birth. While many are genetic, others are acquired during fetal development due to external factors, such as maternal infections (e.g., rubella) or exposure to harmful substances.123
• Genetic disorders result from mutations in an individual's DNA. While most genetic disorders are present at birth and are therefore congenital, some do not manifest until later in life, such as Huntington disease. Furthermore, not all genetic disorders are inherited from parents; some mutations occur for the first time during the formation of gametes or early embryonic development.3

In summary, the primary difference lies in the cause: congenital refers to the timing of the condition (at birth), whereas genetic refers to the underlying biological origin (DNA mutations). A condition can be congenital without being genetic, and a condition can be genetic without being immediately apparent at birth.32