Birth Defects

1
Birth Defects

• What are some causes of birth defects?

2
Problems in Prenatal Development

• Sometimes a pregnancy begins, but a baby doesnt
  develop normally
• If the baby dies before the 20th week it is
  called a miscarriage
• If the baby dies after that time, it is called a
  stillbirth.
• 15-20 of recognized pregnancies end in
  miscarriage
• 2 ends in stillbirth
• Due to bonds that are formed way before the child
  is born, parents (especially the woman) may go
  through grieving.

3
Birth Defects

• Some babies survive the pregnancy but are born
  with serious problems called birth defects.
• Some birth defects include
• Cerebral Palsy
• Cleft Lift and/or palate
• Down Syndrome
• Muscular Dystrophy
• Sickle Cell Anemia
• Spina Bifida and more!

4
Causes of Birth Defects

• Some causes are environmental because it is
  during the first few weeks that a baby develops
  all the bodily systems needed for survival
• The mothers diet
• Any diseases or infections the mother has
• Harmful substances
• Some medicines
• Exposure to hazards (such as chemicals, X-rays,
  etc.)
• Some causes are hereditary
• Sometimes a child inherits a defective gene that
  is dominant such as Huntington's
• Some conditions affect only one sex and usually
  its the males
• Hemophilia
• Color blindness and more

5
More Causes of Birth defects

• Errors in chromosomes
• Such as when a baby has too many or too few
  chromosomes or has broken or rearranged
  chromosomes
• This usually leads to Down Syndrome

6
Prevention and Diagnosis of Birth Defects

• All types of birth defects cannot be anticipated
  or controlled, but there are several things that
  couples can do to minimize the chances.
• Genetic counseling for those who have a history
  of birth defects in their family
• Prenatal tests that can also determine whether or
  not a baby will be born with a birth defect
• AFP tests the protein levels in the liver and an
  abnormal level could me a birth defect
• Ultrasound can help determine problems with the
  babys skeletal, circulatory, or nervous systems.
• Amniocentesis is when fluids are withdrawn fro
  the amniotic fluid and taken to a lab to be
  tested for birth defects

7
The Dilemma

• What is your opinion on knowing if a child has a
  birth defect before they are born?
• What would you do?
• What do you think about parents who want this
  information only to determine whether to abort
  the baby or not?
• Write a half page or more explaining your
  position on this topic!
• You have 3 minutes to copy down these questions
• They should all be discussed in your paper

8
Avoiding Dangers to the Baby

• Always avoid alcohol which leads to Fetal alcohol
  syndrome
• 1 in 5 babies born with this does not live to see
  his or her 1st birthday
• Other Drugs
• Medicines that are over the counter and prescribe
  by the doctor
• Caffeine
• Nicotine
• All illegal drugs
• inhalants

9
Causes of Drugs

• Not avoiding the drugs can lead to
• Low birth weight
• SIDS (Sudden infant death syndrome)
• Risks of seizures
• Tremors and developmental delay
• Congenital heart disease

10
Hazardous Substances and Chemicals

• A pregnant woman should also avoid
• Paint-low odor and/or latex
• Pesticides
• Lead
• Carbon monoxide
• Mercury (found in fish)

11
Infections

• Occasionally a woman might get and infection
  during pregnancy and should seek immediate
  doctors attention.
• Some of the infections include
• Rubella
• Toxoplasmosis
• Chicken pox
• Other diseases that may cause birth defects
  includes STDs and AIDS

12
Reflection

• Write down 3 facts you learned about birth
  defects today.
• Write down 3 more things you would like to learn
  about birth defects.