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Understanding Birth Defects – What You Need to Know

January 13, 2022

Baby in hospital
January is National Birth Defects Prevention Month, an opportunity to raise awareness of birth defects, their causes, and prevention. Not all birth defects can be prevented, but moms can increase their chances of delivering healthy babies by treating and staying on top of health conditions and practicing healthy behaviors before and during pregnancy. Here is a look at some common types of birth defects, as well as tips to help ensure you’re doing what’s best for you and your baby.

Defining Birth Defects

A birth defect is something abnormal about a newborn baby that occurs while the baby is developing. It can be a visual defect, an internal abnormality, or a chemical imbalance such as phenylketonuria, which can result in developmental delays.

Between 2% and 3% of infants have one or more defects at birth – that’s one out of every 33 babies.1

Types of Birth Defects

According to the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, there are two main categories of birth defects: structural and functional (also known as developmental).2

Structural birth defects are problems related to the structure of the body and include cleft lip or cleft palate, heart defects, abnormal limbs, neural tube defects, and issues with the growth and development of the brain and spinal cord.

Functional, or developmental birth defects affect a part or system of the body and how it functions. Functional birth defects can include nervous system problems; vision, hearing, or other sensory problems; metabolic disorders such as chemical imbalances; and degenerative disorders, including muscular dystrophy, that might not be detected until a child is older.

The Causes of Birth Defects

Though medical experts do not know the exact causes of most birth defects, they do know genetic or hereditary factors, infection during pregnancy, and drug exposure during pregnancy can contribute to them.

While women have little control over genetic or hereditary factors, they do have control over environmental factors such as lifestyle, infection, and drug use.

The following factors can increase a woman’s chances of having a baby who has a birth defect:3

  • Smoking, drinking alcohol or taking certain types of illegal drugs during pregnancy.
  • Obesity and uncontrolled diabetes before and during pregnancy.
  • Certain prescription drugs.

Preventing Birth Defects

You may be able to reduce your baby’s chances of being born with a defect by taking these steps recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.4

  • Before you become pregnant, try to reach a healthy weight.
  • Be sure to take 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid every day.
  • Consult your healthcare provider before stopping or starting any medicine.
  • Become up-to-date with all vaccines, including the flu shot.
  • Boost your health by avoiding substances that are harmful during pregnancy.

 

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This post is brought to you by the Prenate® Vitamin Family, a line of prescription prenatal supplements designed to enhance preconception, prenatal, and postpartum nutrition in women. Talk with your doctor about how taking a daily prescription prenatal or postnatal vitamin could help support a healthy pregnancy and postpartum wellness.

Understanding birth defects

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IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

WARNING: Accidental overdose of iron-containing products is a leading cause of fatal poisoning in children under 6. Keep this product out of reach of children. In case of accidental overdose, call a doctor or poison control center immediately.

WARNING: Ingestion of more than 3 grams of omega-3 fatty acids (such as DHA) per day has been shown to have potential antithrombotic effects, including an increased bleeding time and International Normalized Ratio (INR). Administration of omega-3 fatty acids should be avoided in patients taking anticoagulants and in those known to have an inherited or acquired predisposition to bleeding.

This site and its contents are an information resource only, and are neither intended to nor should be used in replacement of your doctor or other prescribing professional’s medical guidance, recommendations or advice. Neither this site nor its information should be used or relied upon for any diagnostic, medical, treatment, nutritional or other purpose. All aspects of pregnancy, including whether pregnancy is right for you, and the nourishment and care of your child, should be made with your doctor and other appropriate medical professional, and in consideration of your and your child’s particular medical history. Avion Pharmaceuticals, LLC (“Avion”) makes no representation, warranty or other undertaking that this site or its information are appropriate for you or your child’s specific needs or issues, and further expressly disclaims all damages, losses, injuries or liability whatsoever incurred or alleged to have been incurred in consequence of your reliance on the information on this site. Avion does not endorse any test, procedure, treatment, remedy, therapy, cure, nutritional regimen, method or other activity or undertaking that you and/or your doctor or other medical professional may elect or recommend. By visiting this site you agree to these terms and conditions and acknowledge that you have read and understand the same. These terms and conditions, together with any information on this site, may be amended, restated or otherwise changed from time to time and at any time by Avion within the sole, absolute and uncontrolled exercise of its discretion. You acknowledge and agree that Avion has no duty or obligation to keep you informed of any amendments to, restatements of or other changes to these terms and conditions or this site, and that you are solely and exclusively responsible for apprising yourself of the same.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

WARNING: Accidental overdose of iron-containing products is a leading cause of fatal poisoning in children under 6. Keep this product out of reach of children. In case of accidental overdose, call a doctor or poison control center immediately.

WARNING: Ingestion of more than 3 grams of omega-3 fatty acids (such as DHA) per day has been shown to have potential antithrombotic effects, including an increased bleeding time and International Normalized Ratio (INR). Administration of omega-3 fatty acids should be avoided in patients taking anticoagulants and in those known to have an inherited or acquired predisposition to bleeding.

This site and its contents are an information resource only, and are neither intended to nor should be used in replacement of your doctor or other prescribing professional’s medical guidance, recommendations or advice. Neither this site nor its information should be used or relied upon for any diagnostic, medical, treatment, nutritional or other purpose. All aspects of pregnancy, including whether pregnancy is right for you, and the nourishment and care of your child, should be made with your doctor and other appropriate medical professional, and in consideration of your and your child’s particular medical history. Avion Pharmaceuticals, LLC (“Avion”) makes no representation, warranty or other undertaking that this site or its information are appropriate for you or your child’s specific needs or issues, and further expressly disclaims all damages, losses, injuries or liability whatsoever incurred or alleged to have been incurred in consequence of your reliance on the information on this site. Avion does not endorse any test, procedure, treatment, remedy, therapy, cure, nutritional regimen, method or other activity or undertaking that you and/or your doctor or other medical professional may elect or recommend. By visiting this site you agree to these terms and conditions and acknowledge that you have read and understand the same. These terms and conditions, together with any information on this site, may be amended, restated or otherwise changed from time to time and at any time by Avion within the sole, absolute and uncontrolled exercise of its discretion. You acknowledge and agree that Avion has no duty or obligation to keep you informed of any amendments to, restatements of or other changes to these terms and conditions or this site, and that you are solely and exclusively responsible for apprising yourself of the same.

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