Features: Magazine | Literary Review | Life | Metro Plus | Open Page | Education Plus | Book Review | Business | SciTech | Entertainment | Young World | Property Plus | Quest | Folio |

Will I know if my baby is normal?

There are more than 3,000 different birth defects, many of which can be detected early

BONNIE BABY Preventing birth defects

Supriya works in a school. She was coming home during the recent solar eclipse when she was stopped by an acquaintance. "Don't you know that being out during the eclipse can lead to some abnormality in the baby?" she was scolded. Supriya is genuinely concerned. Has she jeopardised her unborn child? She has no cause to worry. We know that birth defects are not caused by eclipses.

Just about every mother-to-be wants to know, "Is my baby normal?" Luckily, most babies are born healthy. Out of every 100 babies born, only two or three have a serious defect. Some defects can be detected before birth, and few can be prevented.

What is a birth defect?

When you think about how just two cells, the egg and the sperm, combine to form a complex human being, comprising billions of cells, it is breathtaking to imagine how many things can go wrong but do not. A birth defect or congenital disorder is something abnormal that is present at birth. It can vary from mild to severe.

A birth defect can be detected before birth, at birth or any time after birth. Some defects are easy to spot right away. Special tests may be needed to find others, such as heart defects or hearing loss. Some problems may not be detected until later in a person's life.

Types of birth defects

More than 3,000 different birth defects are known. They can be divided into several types such as structural, genetic and those caused by exposure to an infectious disease or a harmful chemical agent. Some types overlap.

Structural: With a structural birth defect, some part of the baby's body is not formed properly. Such a defect can be internal, such as a heart defect, or external, such as a clubfoot or an extra finger. There is no single cause of structural defects.

Heart defects are the most common birth defect. Some of these problems are mild. Others are complex and may require surgery. Neural tube defect is another common structural birth defect. They result when the coverings over the spinal cord or brain do not close properly. Neural tube defects include spina bifida and anencephaly.

Genetic: Genetic defects can be caused by errors in one or more genes passed on by the parents (inherited defects), by a missing, damaged or extra chromosome (chromosomal disorders) or by a combination of factors (multi-factorial defects).

Chromosomal disorders are most often the result of an error that occurs at the time of fertilisation. The risk of having a child with a chromosomal disorder increases with age. The most common chromosomal disorder is Down Syndrome.

Some birth defects can occur when the mother develops an infection such as Rubella (German measles) during pregnancy, especially in the first three months.

Most birth defects cannot be prevented. You do not have control over the way the baby is formed. The risk of a birth defect can be reduced by being careful about medication during the first three months of pregnancy, the most susceptible time of the baby's development. If you are thinking about getting pregnant, visit your doctor first. A pre-pregnancy visit is especially important for women who have medical problems, such as diabetes or epilepsy. Find out what changes in medication need to be made to bring your condition under control before you try to get pregnant.

Tell anyone who prescribes drugs for you that you are pregnant. That includes any doctor you see for non-pregnancy problems. Don't stop taking a medicine prescribed for you without talking to your doctor.

Folic acid: Taking folic acid supplements can help prevent neural tube defects such as spina bifida and anencephaly. To do this, they must be taken before you get pregnant and in early pregnancy. The time when the developing neural tube needs the folic acid often occurs before a woman knows she is pregnant. Therefore, all women trying for a pregnancy should take a daily supplement containing at least 0.4 mg of folic acid. Women, who already have a child with a neural tube defect, must take at least 4 mg of folic acid daily to prevent a recurrence in the next pregnancy.There are many old wives' tales, which attribute birth defects to various causes. Birth defects are NOT caused by eclipses, sewing during pregnancy, riding in autorickshaws, sleeping in any particular position or eating some foods.

GITA ARJUN

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail