Important points you need to know about birth defects

Is your baby having a birth defect? Then, don’t panic! Read on to know more about this and seek appropriate treatment.

A birth defect can be detected before birth, at birth, or any time after birth. Did you know? Most birth defects can be seen within the first year of life. Some of the birth defects like cleft lip can be easily spotted. Other ones like heart defects or hearing loss can be detected with the help of special tests namely echocardiograms, x-rays, or hearing tests.

Here’s everything about birth defects

Are you aware? Birth defects can be described as structural changes that are present during the time of the birth of the baby and tend to affect any part or parts of the body that is one’s heart, brain, and even foot. Yes, you have heard it right! It can be bothersome as birth defects may affect how the body looks, works, or both and these defects can range from mild to severe. The well-being of one with a birth defect will be dependent on which body part or organ is involved and the severity of the defect. Thus, birth defects are commonly seen in people, they are costly, and are critical conditions.

When can birth defects occur in the baby during pregnancy?

You will be shocked to know that birth defects can be spotted during any stage of pregnancy. Many times, these defects occur within the first 3 months of pregnancy, when the organs of the baby are still developing while some of the defects can be seen in later stages of pregnancy as, during the last six months of pregnancy, the baby’s tissues and organs continue to grow and develop. It is the need of the hour to monitor the health of the baby in every trimester. Identifying all birth defects are not possible before birth and many birth defects cannot be identified even later in life without specialized tests. Every diagnostic test has its limitations in picking up birth defects and subjection all pregnancies/ babies to all diagnostic tests are neither ethical nor practical.

Causes of birth defects?

Mostly, the causes of birth defects are not clearly known. Some of the birth defects may occur owing to a complex mix of factors like genes (information inherited from parents), behaviours, and other things present in the environment. Still, there is no clear evidence to support these factors.

Below are the factors that can raise the risk of birth defects in your babies

· Smoking, alcohol consumption, or opting for certain drugs during pregnancy can be harmful to the baby.

· Certain medical conditions like obesity or unmanaged diabetes before and during pregnancy.

· Taking certain medications can lead to birth defects in babies, having a family history of birth defects or mother, typically over the age of 34 years.

· But remember that women can have a baby born with a birth defect even when they don’t have any of these risk factors.

Some birth defects can be taken care of and here is what you can do to prevent them

· Get your daily dose of folic acid every day and start at least one month before getting pregnant. Having enough folic acid will allow a woman to keep major birth defects at bay. Likewise, the defects of body parts including the spine and brain can also be prevented.

· Don’t drink alcohol or smoke. Take medications only after consulting your doctor. Self-medication is not recommended at all. You will have to learn to keep infections at bay during pregnancy. Alcohol that is present in the bloodstream tends to pass to the baby who is developing via the umbilical cord. Thus, it is not recommended to drink alcohol during pregnancy. Moreover, alcohol consumption can also lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, and a range of lifelong physical, behavioural, and other intellectual disabilities. Smoking during pregnancy can lead to preterm birth, certain birth defects (cleft lip or cleft palate), and infant death. Quitting smoking and other substances is the need of the hour.

· Do not miss your regular appointments and follow-up with the doctor. It is essential to monitor your child’s health. Any abnormalities spot in the tests conducted in the trimesters should be treated accordingly.

· Manage your conditions like diabetes or many others during pregnancy. Obesity can increase the weight of pregnant women and invite severe birth defects. If a woman is overweight or obese then she should talk with her doctor about ways to reach a healthy weight before she gets pregnant. Try to maintain an optimum weight.

· Taking vaccination is important during pregnancy. Vaccinations like flu vaccine and the Tdap vaccine (adult tetanus, diphtheria, and acellular pertussis vaccine), is specifically recommended during pregnancy and protect women against infections that can cause birth defects.

Take-home message: If you are one of them whose baby has a birth defect then it will require proper planning. See to it that your baby gets proper neonatal services and procedures immediately after birth. Those babies with birth defects will need proper care and attention. Keep in mind that you will have to plan financial resources along with planning clinical care as well.

(The author is Consultant Neonatology, Wockhardt Hospital, Mira Road)