A birth defect is a problem that happens while a baby is developing in the mother’s body. One out of every 33 babies in the United States is born with a birth defect. Birth defects are problems that happen while a baby is growing during pregnancy. These problems can cause physical or mental disabilities, and in some cases, death. There are thousands of different birth defects. About 120,000 babies in the United States are born each year with a birth defect. The most common birth defects are heart defects, cleft lip and cleft palate, Down syndrome and spina bifida. While there’s been lots of research, we still don’t know the causes of some birth defects.
If a woman drinks alcohol during pregnancy, her baby may have a birth defect. Some illegal drugs and some prescription drugs can cause birth defects, too. Also, if a woman gets certain infections during pregnancy, such as cytomegalovirus or a sexually transmitted infection, her baby may develop a birth defect.
Some birth defects are causes by genetic factors. The baby could get something from his mother, his father, or both parents that can cause a defect. Certain birth defects affect a baby’s body chemistry. These are called metabolic disorders. There are several steps you can take before and during pregnancy to help prevent birth defects. One important thing to do is have a medical checkup, or preconception visit, before getting pregnant.
Working with their partners, the March of Dimes strives to develop and implement local programs that will ultimately improve the health of babies. Through their network of chapters and volunteers, these programs reach over a million people across the country and Puerto Rico each year. March of Dimes provides information and services designed to prevent premature birth and birth defects and to promote healthy pregnancies.
Community grants are awarded annually to fund the best programs. Local programs like Centering Pregnancy®, group prenatal care, are focused on improving the availability and quality of health care. March of Dimes also supports services that help promote the health and well-being of women and couples before pregnancy to increase their chances of having a healthy baby.
Through NICU Family Support®, March of Dimes provides information and comfort to families coping with the experience of having a baby in a newborn intensive care unit (NICU). NICU Family Support complements and enhances family-centered care practices in partner hospitals, addresses the needs of families and provides professional development to NICU staff
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Source: http://www.marchofdimes.com/
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