Introduction to Preventing Birth Defects

The topic of birth defects is one that puts fear into the hearts of many expectant parents. The desire for a healthy baby takes precedence to the desire for a boy or a girl, or mom’s eyes, or dad’s smile. But many potential parents do not know that they can take an active roll in preventing certain defects such as fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, spinal bifida, neural tube defects as well as others.

Currently in the United States approximately 150,000 babies each year are born with at least one serious birth defect. That is around 4% of live births. Birth defects, especially severe ones, usually cannot be fully cured and thus can require lifelong medical treatment.

Various public health organizations are doing what they can to raise awareness of preventable birth defects. These organizations include The March of Dimes, and the CDC. While these efforts have been largely successful, there are still many women who need to be educated and informed about preventing birth defects in their unborn children.

Thoughts on Birth Defects

I chose to do this topic for my blog specifically because I have had experience with children with birth defects. My parents have done foster care and have had many young children with problems in their home. Some of the most memorable were the children with fetal alcohol. These children were clearly not in control of their actions. They were extremely impuslive and did not respond to traditional child rearing methods. They also were dealing with learning and mental disabilities. It is sad to see children in such a condition. Through no fault of their own they are going to have to struggle through life. If their mothers had simply not consumed alcohol while they were pregnant they would not be dealing with these disabilites.

Another foster child we had in our home was a Meth baby. while she does not have a particular birth defect, she suffers from a sleeping disorder as well as ADHD. She has also had to have speech therapy peridoicaly. All of these issues could have been prevented if her mother had not used drugs.

So basically preventing birth defects boils down to sexually active women being responsible. If a women is having sex she needs to be taking folic acid, not consuming alcohol or illegal drugs, only taking over the counter and prespcription drugs thave have been approved by her doctor.

For more information about having a healthy pregnancy please visit Womens Health and the Mayo Clinic