January is National Birth Defects Prevention Month! Join us in this nationwide effort to raise awareness of how preventing infections during pregnancy can impact birth defects.
Each January CDC works with partners to raise awareness among women and families about actions they can take to help have a healthy pregnancy. This year CDC would like to focus on how women can reduce their risk of getting an infection during pregnancy to help protect their developing baby.
January is also a time to recognize people living with birth defects. Thanks to ongoing medical advancements, children born with birth defects are living longer. These children and their families still need help. They often need specialized treatment, continued care, and strong social support to improve their overall quality of life.
What can you do?
1. Join the Thunderclap.
Lend your voice! Select a social media account above (Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, or all), and authorize Thunderclap to use your account to post this 1 time message on January 18, 2017 at 12PM ET.
2. Tell a friend.
Spread the word to friends and followers to sign up as well.
3. Share how you are preventing infections for your developing baby’s protection and use #Prevent2Protect.
Share how you are preventing infections during pregnancy by taking the following steps: talk to your healthcare provider, properly prepare food, protect yourself from animals and insects known to carry diseases, and maintain good hygiene. Social media users can also create an original picture or video and post with #Prevent2Protect.
4. Use #1in33.
Share your story on social media, and encourage families to share their stories! Parents and others can create an original picture or a video about birth defects and post on social media tagged with #1in33.
Birth Defects Are Common
Every 4 ½ minutes, a baby is born with a birth defect in the United States. That means nearly 120,000 babies are affected by birth defects each year.1
Birth defects are structural changes present at birth that can affect almost any part or parts of the body (e.g., heart, brain, foot). They may affect how the body looks, works, or both. Birth defects can vary from mild to severe. The well-being of each child affected with a birth defect depends mostly on which organ or body 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 birth defect may or may not be affected.
A birth defect can be found before birth, at birth, or any time after birth. Most birth defects are found within the first year of life. Some birth defects (such as cleft lip) are easy to see, but others (such as heart defects or hearing loss) are found using special tests, such as echocardiograms (an ultrasound picture of the heart), x-rays or hearing tests.
Causes
Birth defects can occur during any stage of pregnancy. Most birth defects occur in the first 3 months of pregnancy, when the organs of the baby are forming. This is a very important stage of development. However, some birth defects occur later in pregnancy. During the last six months of pregnancy, the tissues and organs continue to grow and develop.
For some birth defects, like fetal alcohol syndrome, we know the cause. But for most birth defects, we don’t know what causes them. For most birth defects, we think they are caused by a complex mix of factors. These factors include our genes (information inherited from our parents), our behaviors, and things in the environment. But, we don't fully understand how these factors might work together to cause birth defects.
While we still have more work to do, we have learned a lot about birth defects through past research. For example, some things 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 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 learn more about your risk of having a baby with a birth defect, you can talk with a clinical geneticist or a genetic counselor.
Being an older mother, typically over the age of 34 years.
Having one or more of these risks doesn’t mean you’ll have a pregnancy affected by a birth defect. Also, women can have a baby born with a birth defect even when they don’t have any of these risks. It is important to talk to your doctor about what you can do to lower your risk.
Prevention
Not all birth defects can be prevented. But, there are things that a woman can do before and during pregnancy to increase her chance of having a healthy baby:
Be sure to see your healthcare provider regularly and start prenatal care as soon as you think you might be pregnant.
Get 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid every day, starting at least one month before getting pregnant.
Don’t drink alcohol, smoke, or use “street” drugs.
Talk to a healthcare provider about any medications you are taking or thinking about taking. This includes prescription and over-the-counter medications and dietary or herbal supplements. Don't stop or start taking any type of medication without first talking with a doctor.
Learn how to prevent infections during pregnancy.
If possible, be sure any medical conditions are under control, before becoming pregnant. Some conditions that increase the risk for birth defects include diabetes and obesity.
Babies who have birth defects often need special care and interventions to survive and to thrive developmentally. State birth defects tracking programs provide one way to identify and refer children as early as possible for services they need. Early intervention is vital to improving outcomes for these babies. If your child has a birth defect, you should ask his or her doctor about local resources and treatment. Geneticists, genetic counselors, and other specialists are another resource.
