Dreamt I Had a Baby Girl Born With Disabilites
Nativity defects are mutual, costly, and critical conditions that affect one in every 33 babies built-in in the U.s. each year.1 Read more about what we have learned about birth defects and how women tin improve their chances of having a baby born without a birth defect.
Birth Defects Are Mutual
Every 4 ½ minutes, a baby is built-in with a birth defect in the United States. That means almost 120,000 babies are affected by birth defects each year.i
Birth defects are structural changes nowadays at birth that can affect almost any part or parts of the body (eastward.1000., heart, brain, pes). They may bear upon how the trunk looks, works, or both. Birth defects can vary from mild to astringent. The well-existence of each child afflicted with a nativity defect depends generally on which organ or trunk part is involved and how much it is affected. Depending on the severity of the defect and what body part is affected, the expected lifespan of a person with a nascency defect may or may not exist affected.
Identifying Birth Defects
A nascence defect can be found earlier nativity, at birth, or any time after nativity. Well-nigh nativity defects are found inside the first year of life. Some nativity defects (such as crevice lip) are piece of cake to meet, but others (such as heart defects or hearing loss) are plant using special tests, such as echocardiograms (an ultrasound picture of the heart), x-rays or hearing tests.
Learn more about diagnosing birth defects »
Causes
Nascency defects can occur during any phase of pregnancy. Virtually birth defects occur in the first three months of pregnancy, when the organs of the babe are forming. This is a very important stage of evolution. However, some nascency defects occur afterward in pregnancy. During the last vi months of pregnancy, the tissues and organs keep to abound and develop.
For some birth defects, like fetal alcohol syndrome, we know the cause. But for almost birth defects, we don't know what causes them. For almost birth defects, we remember they are caused by a complex mix of factors. These factors include our genes (data inherited from our parents), our behaviors, and things in the environs. Only, we don't fully understand how these factors might piece of work together to crusade birth defects.
While we nonetheless have more work to practise, we have learned a lot about nativity defects through past research. For example, some things might increment the chances of having a infant with a birth defect, such as:
- Smoking, drinking booze, or taking certain drugs during pregnancy.
- Having certain medical atmospheric condition, such as being obese or having uncontrolled diabetes before and during pregnancy.
- Taking certain medications, such as isotretinoin (a drug used to treat severe acne).
- Having someone in your family with a birth defect. To acquire more about your risk of having a baby with a birth defect, you can talk with a clinical geneticist or a genetic advisor.
- Having certain infections during pregnancy such equally Zika virus and cytomegalovirus.
- Experiencing fever greater than 101oF or having an elevated body temperature due to oestrus exposure.
- Being an older mother, as the risk of chromosomal abnormalities increases with age.
Having one or more of these risks doesn't hateful you'll have a pregnancy affected by a birth defect. Also, women can have a infant born with a nascence defect fifty-fifty when they don't have whatsoever of these risks. Information technology is of import to talk to your dr. nearly what yous can do to lower your risk.
Learn about CDC'southward research on causes and risk factors »
Prevention
Not all nativity defects can be prevented. But, there are things that a woman can do earlier and during pregnancy to increase her take chances of having a good for you baby:
- Be sure to run into your healthcare provider regularly and start prenatal intendance as soon as y'all think you might be significant.
- Get 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid every 24-hour interval, starting at least one month before getting significant.
- Don't drink alcohol or fume.
- Talk to a healthcare provider nigh whatsoever medications yous are taking or thinking almost taking. This includes prescription and over-the-counter medications and dietary or herbal supplements. Don't cease or starting time taking any type of medication without first talking with a doctor.
- Know how to prevent infections during pregnancy.
- Exist proactive in identifying and treating fever when sick or after getting a vaccine. Treat fevers higher than 101oF with Tylenol® (or shop make acetaminophen), and avoid hot tubs, saunas, or other environments that might crusade overheating.
- If possible, be sure whatsoever medical conditions are nether control, before condign pregnant. Some conditions, such as diabetes, can increment the take chances for nascence defects.
More tips to prevent nativity defects »
Living with a Birth Defect
Babies who have nativity defects frequently need special care and interventions to survive and to thrive developmentally. Land birth defects tracking programs provide one way to identify and refer children as early as possible for services they demand. Early on intervention is vital to improving outcomes for these babies. If your kid has a nativity defect, yous should ask his or her doctor almost local resource and treatment. Geneticists, genetic counselors, and other specialists are another resource.
Observe more information for families who have a child with a birth defect »
References
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Update on Overall Prevalence of Major Birth Defects–Atlanta, Georgia, 1978-2005. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2008;57(1):ane-5.
Dreamt I Had a Baby Girl Born With Disabilites
Source: https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/birthdefects/facts.html