Birth Defects and the Fight to Prevent Them

Women need to make good lifestyle choices when it comes to sexual partners and preventing unwanted pregnancies so that pregnancies can be planned, ensuring that there is the ability to make preparations for a healthy conception and pregnancy.

There is much that can be done to help prevent birth defects. No one likes to see babies suffer or die from birth defects that could have been prevented. Education is one key to helping moms prepare before becoming pregnant and also to do what ever is necessary during pregnancy to have a healthy baby. There are many books, Websites and organizations available to help moms and moms-to-be to prepare for a healthy baby free of birth defects. Another key to fighting birth defects is proper prenatal care, this means providing medical care for all pregnant women and providing the means to receive proper nutrition during pregnancy and during breastfeeding.

Education begins with young girls and teaching them about sexual diseases that could affect their future children. Women need to be educated about the need to have preconception planning appointments so that they can do all they can to assure a healthy pregnancy and baby. There are lifestyle choices that are made preconception and during the pregnancy that can have an affect on the health of the baby including smoking, drinking alcohol, nutrition and hot tub usage.

Healthcare is the concern of all involved in the process including legislative bodies of our government those who govern them and those who vote for issues concerning healthcare. Those making decisions regarding healthcare issues like which policies to offer employees should take into considerations the needs of women in their reproductive years and the unborn children that may be affected by their decision to provide healthcare or not.

Women need to make good lifestyle choices when it comes to sexual partners and preventing unwanted pregnancies so that pregnancies can be planned, ensuring that there is the ability to make preparations for a healthy conception and pregnancy.

Books:

Protecting Your Baby-To-Be: Preventing Birth Defects in the First Trimester by Margie Profet

The Healthy Baby Book, A Parent's Guide to Preventing Birth Defects and Other Long-Term Medical Problems Before, During and After Pregnancy by Carolyn Reuben

Preventing two of the most common and severe birth defect: An article from: Humpty Dumpty's Magazine by Cory SerVaas (Digital - June 1, 2005)

Smoking and Pregnancy: The Politics of Fetal Protection by Laury Oaks

Preventing Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and other alcohol-related birth defects by Elizabeth Howard

Heart Birth Defects There is a blood screening test done shortly after birth that detects PKU. If the child is treated promptly with a special diet mental retardation can be avoided. Sickle cell anemia is a genetic disorder involving abnormal shape of the blood cells and results in periodic episodes of pain and chronic anemia (low blood count). Treatment includes antibiotics, blood transfusions and bone marrow transplants.

Websites:

The March of Dimes has a Website where viewers can find information about pregnancy, babies and prematurity including how to reduce infant mortality and birth defects. The Website can be found at:

http://www.marchofdimes.com/

The National Center for Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities has a Website that can be found at:

http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/

Kidshealth.org also has a section of their site devoted to preventing birth defects. It can be found at:

http://www.kidshealth.org/parent/system/ill/birth_defects.html

The American Pregnancy Association also has birth defect prevention tips that can be found on:

http://www.americanpregnancy.org/birthdefects/index.htm

There are many organizations set up to help educate and assist in the fight against birth defects. They are:

March of Dimes

ECLAMC (the Latin American Collaborative Study of Congenital Malformations)

IBIS (International Birth Defects Information System)

The International Clearinghouse for Birth Defects Monitoring Systems

World Alliance of Organizations for the Prevention of Birth Defects

FPBD (Families Preventing Birth Defects)

Today's News About Birth Defects

11/21/2008
Teen's drive makes her a 'Riley Champion' (The Indianapolis Star)
As a patient at Riley Hospital for Children, Alexis Allen is getting treatment for a crippling birth defect that confines her to a wheelchair.

Teen's drive makes her a 'Riley Champion' (The Indianapolis Star)

11/21/2008
Hairspray linked to birth defect (BBC News)
Boys born to women exposed to hairspray in the workplace may have a higher risk of being born with a genital defect.

Hairspray linked to birth defect (BBC News)

11/18/2008
Study finds association between male birth defect and certain genetic mutations (EurekAlert!)
A small percentage of males born with cryptorchidism (failure of one or both testicles to descend into the scrotum), the most frequent congenital birth defect in male children, are more likely to have genetic mutations, including for a syndrome that is a common genetic cause of infertility, according to a study in the Nov. 19 issue of JAMA.

Study finds association between male birth defect and certain genetic mutations (EurekAlert!)

11/17/2008
Birth defect risk raised by in vitro fertilization (Reuters via Yahoo! News)
Babies conceived using in vitro fertilization are two to four times as likely to have certain birth defects than those conceived naturally, U.S. researchers said on Monday.

Birth defect risk raised by in vitro fertilization (Reuters via Yahoo! News)

11/21/2008
Pregnant women exposed to hairspray double chances of genital defect in boys (Daily Mail)
Researchers found that women exposed to hairspray in the workplace during early pregnancy more than double their chances of giving birth to a son with hypospadias.

Pregnant women exposed to hairspray double chances of genital defect in boys (Daily Mail)

11/20/2008
In vitro raises birth defect risks (TVNZ)
Babies conceived using in vitro fertilization are two to four times as likely to have certain birth defects than those conceived naturally, US researchers said.

In vitro raises birth defect risks (TVNZ)

11/21/2008
Pregnant women exposed to hairspray double chances of genital defect in boys (Daily Mail)
Researchers found that women exposed to hairspray in the workplace during early pregnancy more than double their chances of giving birth to a son with hypospadias.

Pregnant women exposed to hairspray double chances of genital defect in boys (Daily Mail)