Many parents of babies with birth defects wonder if they should send out birth announcements. This is a personal decision — the fact that your baby has a health problem doesn't mean you shouldn't be excited about the new addition to your family. Educate yourself. Try to learn as much as you can as soon as you can. Start by asking your doctors lots of questions.
Record the answers, and if you're not satisfied — or if a doctor doesn't answer your questions thoroughly — don't be afraid to get second opinions. Keep a file with a running list of questions and the answers you find, as well as suggestions for further reading and any materials your child's doctor gives you. Keep an updated list of all health care providers and their phone numbers, as well as emergency numbers.
Explore options for paying for treatment and ongoing care for your child. There can be extra medical and therapeutic costs in caring for a child with a birth defect. Besides health insurance , other available resources include nonprofit disability organizations, private foundations, Medicaid, and state and local programs. A social worker can help you learn more about these. Seek early intervention. Early intervention means bringing a team of experts together to assess a child's needs and create a treatment program.
Early intervention services can include feeding support, assistive technology tools, devices, and aids that make everyday tasks easier for people with disabilities , occupational therapy , physical therapy , speech therapy, nutrition services, and social work services.
Certain factors may might increase the chances of having a baby with a birth defect, such as Smoking, drinking alcohol, or taking certain "street" drugs during pregnancy Having certain medical conditions, such as obesity or uncontrolled diabetes , before and during pregnancy Taking certain medicines Having someone in your family with a birth defect. To learn more about your risk of having a baby with a birth defect, you can talk with a genetic counselor , Being an older mother, typically over the age of 34 years How are birth defects diagnosed?
What are the treatments for birth defects? Can birth defects be prevented? But there are things you can do before and during pregnancy to increase your chance of having a healthy baby: Start prenatal care as soon as you think you might be pregnant, and see your health care provider regularly during pregnancy Get micrograms mcg of folic acid every day. If possible, you should start taking it at least one month before you get pregnant.
Don't drink alcohol, smoke, or use "street" drugs Talk to your health care provider about any medicines you are taking or thinking about taking. This includes prescription and over-the-counter medicines, as well as dietary or herbal supplements. Learn how to prevent infections during pregnancy If you have any medical conditions, try to get them under control before you get pregnant Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Start Here. Diagnosis and Tests.
Prevention and Risk Factors. Living With. Related Issues. Statistics and Research. Clinical Trials. Article: Maternal exposure to airborne polychlorinated biphenyls PCBs and risk of adverse Diabetes is a medical condition in which your body has too much sugar called glucose in your blood. Preexisting means you had diabetes before you got pregnant. Diabetes can damage organs in your body, including blood vessels, nerves, eyes and kidneys.
Taking certain medicines before or during pregnancy. Taking certain medicines, like isotretinoin, can increase the risk of your baby having a birth defect. Isotretinoin is a medicine used to treat acne. Smoking , drinking alcohol or using street drugs during pregnancy.
Doing any of these things during pregnancy can cause problems for your baby, including birth defects. Getting certain infections during pregnancy. Some infections during pregnancy can increase the risk of your baby having birth defects and other problems.
For example, if you have Zika infection during pregnancy your baby may be at increased risk of having microcephaly. Your age. If you are 34 years old or older, you may be at increased risk of having a baby with a birth defect. Can you prevent birth defects? Avoid harmful substances in your environment. Avoid secondhand smoke during pregnancy.
Mercury is a metal that can harm your baby. Fish with high amounts of mercury include swordfish, shark, king mackerel and tilefish. Prevent infections. If you do travel to a Zika-affected area, learn how to prevent mosquito bites. This is the most common way Zika spreads. Protect yourself from toxoplasmosis. This is an infection caused by a parasite that lives in soil. You can get infected by eating raw or undercooked meat or unwashed vegetables. You also can get it by touching cat poop.
It can cause problems, like body aches, headache, fatigue being really tired or fever. Toxoplasmosis can cause birth defects like hearing loss. Protect yourself from cytomegalovirus also called CMV. CMV is a common infection caused by a virus. It spreads through body fluids like saliva and urine. This increases the chances of your baby having birth defects like microcephaly and hearing loss.
How do you know if your baby has a birth defect? Checking for birth defects during pregnancy You may have prenatal tests medical tests you get during pregnancy to check your baby for birth defects. Checking for birth defects after birth Some birth defects, like clubfoot, cleft lip, cleft palate or microcephaly, can be seen when a baby is born and diagnosed with a physical exam.
There are three parts to newborn screening: Blood test. Most newborn screening is done with a blood test. He collects the blood on a special paper and sends it to a lab for testing. This test looks for genetic conditions. Hearing screening. This test checks for hearing loss. Heart screening.
Babies are checked for critical CHDs using a test called pulse oximetry. Low levels of oxygen can be a sign of a heart defect. Pulse oximetry can find many but not all critical CHDs. What health care providers treat birth defects? This doctor has training to take care of babies and children. Family practice doctor also called a family physician. This doctor takes care of every member of the family.
A family practice doctor can be your health care provider before, during and after pregnancy, and your baby's provider, too. This doctor takes care of sick newborns, including premature babies born before 37 weeks of pregnancy and babies with birth defects. Pediatric nurse practitioner also called PNP.
This registered nurse has advanced training to take care of babies and children. Family nurse practitioner also called FNP. This registered nurse has advanced training to take care of every member of your family. Providers who treat digestion and feeding conditions Gastroenterologist. This doctor treats digestion and feeding problems.
Lactation consultant. This person is trained to help women breastfeed, even women who have breastfeeding problems. This person can help make sure your baby gets all the nutrients she needs for healthy growth and development. Providers who treat eye, ear, nose and throat conditions Audiologist. This provider has training to treat hearing problems and hearing loss. This doctor treats eye and vision problems. Otolaryngologist also called an ear, nose and throat specialist or ENT.
Geneticists, genetic counselors, and other specialists are another resource. Find more information for families who have a child with a birth defect ». Skip directly to site content Skip directly to page options Skip directly to A-Z link. Birth Defects. Section Navigation. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Syndicate. What are Birth Defects? Minus Related Pages. On this Page.
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