BACKGROUND Quality of life of patients with congenital heart defects is an important aspect of the assessment of outcome of medical and surgical treatment. RESULTS All participants in the Second Natural History Study of Congenital Heart Defects who completed the study questionnaire were included in this analysis. The questionnaire completed by the patients included inquiries relative to medical history, marital and family life, self-perception of well-being, insurability, and employability. The following general observations were apparent. The study cohort reported a self-perception of health status that was similar to that of the general population. Second, 35-40% of patients had not had a cardiac evaluation within the previous 10 years. Third, 16% of the patients had no health insurance, and 35.7% of the patients had no life insurance. For the patients with pulmonary stenosis and ventricular septal defect, the percent who were married was less than that of the corresponding national age- and sex-specific population. For patients with aortic stenosis, the percent married was greater than that of the general population for some age groups. The proportion of divorced or separated individuals was similar to that of the general population. For all three defects, the level of educational attainment exceeded the national average. Last, unemployment rates were similar to national averages except for women with aortic stenosis, who had a significantly higher unemployment rate than did age- and sex-matched controls. CONCLUSIONS Patients initially identified with aortic stenosis, pulmonary stenosis, or ventricular septal defect in 1959-1973 have a quality of life in the mid-1980s similar to that of the general US population.