By Sophia Nayokpuk LS'07'03

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By Sophia Nayokpuk LS.07.03
preventing
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Congenital Malformation
birth defects

• All expectant parents dream of having normal,
  healthy children. Unfortunately, sometimes this
  does not happen. Although most babies are born
  normal and whole, about 3 percent are born with
  some form of abnormality. Fortunately, about half
  of these imperfect babies have only minor defects
  that can be easily corrected, leaving no trace.
  In the other half, however, the defect may be
  severe and even life-threatening.Most birth
  defects are formed in the first three months of
  pregnancy.

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PREVENTION
some are preventable
some are genetic

• Take a multivitamin with 400 micrograms of folic
  acid every day, even if you are not planning a
  pregnancy.
• Eat a healthy diet with foliate-rich foods and
  foods that have been fortified with folic acid.
• Do not drink alcohol if you are trying to become
  pregnant or at any time during pregnancy.
• Go for a pre-pregnancy health checkup. Review
  your prescriptions and any over-the-counter
  medications with your health care provider to
  determine if they are safe during pregnancy.

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for example, can prevent
FAS
fetal alcohol syndrome

• FAS is an permanent, lifelong condition that
  affects every aspect of a childs life and the
  lives of the childs family.  However, FAS is
  completely preventable if a woman does not
  drink alcohol while she is pregnant.  Also, if
  a woman is planning a pregnancy or is sexually
  active and not using effective birth control,
  she should avoid alcohol consumption because she
  may be pregnant and not know for several weeks or
  more.

you can say no,your baby cant!
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Guess what!
it is estimated that a lifetime for one person
with FAS is 1.4 million dollars!
Alaska has the highest rate of FAS among the
five FAS Net states at 1.4 per 1,000 live
births Approximately 126 infants are born each
year in Alaska who have been affected by maternal
alcohol use during pregnancy Alaska Natives
have a FAS prevalence rate of 4.8 per 1,000 live
births

• Within the state of Alaska it is estimated that
  65 of children with FAS are either in state
  custody and living in foster care or have been in
  state custody and are now in adoptive homes. Only
  23 of affected children are living at home with
  one or both biological parents. FAS and other
  alcohol affected children have much greater needs
  than other children in foster care, increasing
  the need for augmented care rates, adoption
  subsidies and special services for respite care,
  infant learning programs, health care,
  educational services and others

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even
Prescription pills

• Believe it or not, prescription pills can cause
  birth defects also. Some can cause life
  threatening to the fetus. Thats why is so
  important that when a lady is trying to get
  pregnant, or is pregnant that she talks to her
  doctor about prescription pills.
• Even when nursing, prescription pills can cause
  problems that are harmful to the baby.

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sexually transmitted dieases
STD'S

• can cause birth defects or complications if left
  untreated.
• Such as Chlamydia causes the fetus eye disease,
  pneumonia, low birth weight and prematuraity.
• Syphilis and herpes can can cause severe
  problems, including blindness and death
• Especially HIV/AIDS can be the worst of
• STDs that cannot be cured and be passed onto your
  genes. That your children can have the strand of
  the disease.
• STDS while pregnancy complicates
• problems of the fetus.
• STDS can cause down syndrome,Tay- Sachs disease,
  sickle cell disease,or hemophilia.
• The same effects with

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Infections...
such as rubella

• or know as
• German measles
• If infected during the first trimester of
  pregnancy it is associated with an increased risk
  of congenital damage to the fetus, producing
  stillbirths, abortion, low birth weight, and such
  malformations as cardiac defects, eye defects
  (especially cataracts), and mental retardation.
  During the first 16 weeks of pregnancy the
  infection has been estimated to carry a risk of
  fetal damage of between 30 and 35. Pregnant
  women who have been exposed to rubella are given
  gamma globulin in an effort to prevent the
  disease.

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Environmental Causes
such as

• Exposure to
• radiation that causes miscarriages,
  stillbirths, congenital defects, premature death
  (death in the first year of life), chromosomal
  abnormalities and cancer in later life.
• Asbestos is known to cause mesothelioma,asbestos
  lung cancer,and asbestosis
• Hexavalent chromiumever watch Erin Brockvich
• uterine and breast cancer to birth defects,
  chronic nosebleeds, rashes, immune disorders, and
  miscarriage

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Amniocentesis
testing for birth defects

• The point of a medical sonography, or ultrasound
  is to visualize a fetus during routine and
  emergency prenatal care. Can Date the pregnancy
  (gestational age)Confirm fetal
  viabilityDetermine location of fetus,
  intrauterine vs ectopicCheck the location of the
  placenta in relation to the cervixCheck for the
  number of fetuses (multiple pregnancy)Check for
  major physical abnormalities.Assess fetal growth
  (for evidence of IUGR)Check for fetal movement
  and heartbeat.Determine the sex of the baby.
  And if there is any suspicion of birth defects
  the doctor would perform a test called
• Amniocentesis(also referred to as amniotic fluid
  test or AFT) is a medical procedure used in
  prenatal diagnosis of genetic risk factors, in
  which a small amount of amniotic fluid, which
  contains fetal tissues, is extracted from the
  amnion or amniotic sac surrounding a developing
  fetus, and the fetal DNA is examined for genetic
  abnormalities. Amniocentesis is not performed for
  every pregnancy, but is generally done when an
  increased risk of genetic defects in the fetus is
  indicated, by mother's age (over 35 years is
  common), family history of genetic defects, or
  other factors

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Better to be Safe than

..sorry