- What can I do to prevent my baby from being born with a birth defect?
- How can my husband help ensure that we have a healthy baby?
- My cousin was born with a birth defect. Could it happen again in our family?
- I’m pregnant now. How will I know if my baby is ok?
- My other children were born without birth defects. Why did it happen this time?
- Now that I know that my baby has a birth defect, what can I expect when the baby is born?
- My doctor told me that my baby has a birth defect. What choices are available to me?
- I didn’t realize that I was pregnant until my 3rd month. I’m afraid that my lifestyle choices may have harmed the baby. Where can I find more information?
- I’ve been told that my baby has a type of birth defect. Where can I find other families who are affected by this syndrome?
- How can I become involved in the fight against birth defects?
1. What can I do to prevent my baby from
being born with a birth defect?
Response:
Although most birth defects
occur for reasons that are still unknown,
there are a few things that you can do to
try to prevent your baby from being born
with a birth defect. First, before you consider
becoming pregnant, begin taking a multivitamin
that contains at least 400 micrograms of
the B vitamin folic acid. Research studies
have concluded that women who consume adequate
amounts of folic acid before becoming pregnant
and in the early stages of pregnancy can
reduce the risk of their child being born
with certain neural tube defects. These include
anencephaly ( a condition where some or all
of the skull and/or brain is absent) and
spina bifida (where the spinal column does
not completely close and the spinal cord
may be exposed).
It is also important to explore your family’s
health history and get an exam from your doctor
to be sure that any medical conditions are
being addressed. For instance, women with diabetes
are at increased risk for having a baby born
with birth defects, however by keeping blood
sugar under control the risk for birth defects
is decreased. Have a checkup that includes
evaluation and treatment for sexually transmitted
diseases and be sure that your immunity to
childhood diseases is up to date. Discontinue
the use of alcohol, tobacco, and street drugs.
And don’t forget any routine medicines
that you take. Talk to your doctor to be
sure that your medications are safe to continue
during pregnancy.
Finally, the importance of a healthy lifestyle
can never be overstated. Exercise and a
well balanced diet are vital to a woman’s
health, especially when preparing her body
for pregnancy and while carrying a baby.
For more detailed information, see pages
on Prevention of Birth Defects.
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2. How can my husband help ensure that we have a healthy baby?
Response:
Ask him about his family’s health
history, including babies born with birth
defects. A genetics counselor can help you
evaluate any risks that may be passed on
from Mom, Dad or other family members. Get
into a healthy lifestyle together. Avoid
alcohol, smoking and street drugs and improve
your health via exercise and good nutrition.
And be certain that Dad’s
checkup includes ascertaining immunity
from childhood diseases and sexually
transmitted diseases to prevent
passing these on to Mom.
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3. My cousin was born with a birth defect.
Could it happen again in our family?
Response:
While not all birth defects
are from hereditary sources, there are
some that can be traced to genetic factors.
This means that certain characteristics or
diseases may be passed down through family
lines. Ask your family members about their
health history, as this information will
be important in determining your risk. Talk
to your doctor about your concerns, and you
may be referred to a genetic counselor to
evaluate your risk for having a baby born
with a birth defect.
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4. I’m pregnant now. How will I
know if my baby is ok?
Response:
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First of all, begin seeing
your health care provider right away. Early
prenatal care will get you and your baby
off to a healthy start. Some problems may
be detected early in pregnancy and allow
the opportunity to monitor or treat the
condition. Your doctor will offer tests
during the pregnancy, including some that
can be used to identify birth defects in
the fetus.
And remember to take care of yourself
and follow your doctor’s
advice regarding exercise, nutrition
and other aspects of a healthy
lifestyle during pregnancy.
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5. My other children were born without
birth defects. Why did it happen this
time?
Response:
Every pregnancy, like
every person, is unique. Although we now
know the causes of some birth defects
and how to prevent them, the majority
of birth defects occur for reasons that
remain unknown. And while a mother who
has previously had a child with a birth
defect may be considered at higher risk,
most birth defects occur in women with
no prior history of affected pregnancies.
You may elect to consult with a genetics
counselor to evaluate the risk of recurrence
in the event of future pregnancies.
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6. Now that I know that my baby has
a birth defect, what can I expect when
the baby is born?
Response:
For information on
specific birth defects, please see the
Common Birth Defects section. Depending
upon the type of birth defect that your
baby has been diagnosed with, you may
expect certain events to occur. Assuming
that the diagnosis has been confirmed,
you may consult specialists to become
involved in your care. This may include
being referred to a high risk OB/GYN
for prenatal care and delivery in a
facility that is equipped to care for
a child with special needs. You may
also meet the pediatric specialists
that will become involved in caring
for your child. These can range from
Neonatologists (doctors who provide
care for babies born with problems),
Cardiologists (heart doctors), Pulmonologists
(lung doctors), and Orthopaedists
(bone doctors), and include physical
or speech therapists, among others.
By being diagnosed during pregnancy,
you have been presented with an
opportunity to learn all that you can
about your baby’s condition before
s/he is born. Explore the FBDR Web pages
for more information, and be sure to check
our links pages for resources
related to your individual needs. You
may also find it helpful to talk with
other families that have been through
similar experiences.
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7. My doctor told me that my baby
has a birth defect. What choices are
available to me?
Response:
Depending upon the type
of birth defect and the month of pregnancy
that you were diagnosed
in, there may be different options available
to you. Take the time
to explore all of your options before
deciding on a course of action, and the
best place to start may be in discussing
the situation with your doctor.
Birth defects is a term used to describe
a wide range of problems with varying
degrees of outcomes. There are metabolic
defects that can be easily controlled
with diet to major malformations that
are incompatible with life. It is
vital that you understand the defect
and potential results in order for
you to make an informed choice about
your options. Some doctors are now
performing fetal surgery on the baby
in the uterus to correct defects such
as urinary tract abnormalities and
spina bifida. Many of these procedures
are new and some remain experimental.
Scientists are also trying what’s
called gene replacement therapy to
discover whether a healthy gene introduced
into the body will replace the faulty
or defective gene found in many people
born with certain birth defects. You
may elect to meet members of a family
that has a child affected with a birth
defect similar to your baby’s
in order to get
a first hand account
of what you might expect.
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8. I didn’t realize that
I was pregnant until my 3rd month.
I’m afraid that my lifestyle
choices may have harmed the baby.
Where can I find more information?
Response:
First of all, stop engaging
in activities that are harmful to a
developing baby NOW. While it is known
that many abnormalities occur during the
first few weeks of pregnancy, usually
before a woman even realizes that she
is pregnant, continued exposure to a toxic
substance may increase the severity of
a defect in the child. Talk to your doctor
about your concerns, specifically the
substance(s) that you have ingested or
been exposed to prior to realizing that
conception had occurred.
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9. I’ve been told that
my baby has a type of birth defect.
Where can I find other families
who are affected by this syndrome?
Response:
There are many support
groups for families affected by the birth
of a child with a defect. These can range
from large nationwide organizations to
local groups of parents in your community.
A good place to start is by asking for
information from your doctor. He or she
many know of a parent in your area who
has a similarly affected child who would
be willing to talk to you about your concerns
and give you a glimpse at what you may
expect after your baby is born.
You can also check out our links
page for web sites related to
the syndrome that you would like
to explore.
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10. How can I become involved in
the fight against birth defects?
Response:
There are many
organizations that are working to reduce the prevalence of birth defects
and minimize disability associated with them, both at the national
and local level. Activities that you may choose to get involved in
may range from participating in a walk-a-thon to raise money and awareness
for the fight against birth defects to volunteering time to work with
affected children.
The opportunities available to you are limited only
by your time, interest, and talent. Explore the organizations that
are currently active in your community to see what their needs are.
Discover the areas that interest you most and get active! For quick
links to useful Internet sites, check out our list of available resources.
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