Transcript Monday, January 28, 2008

Birth Defects
What are some causes of birth
defects?
Problems in Prenatal Development
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Sometimes a pregnancy begins,
but a baby doesn’t develop
normally
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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.
Birth Defects
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Some babies survive the pregnancy but
are born with serious problems called
birth defects.
Some birth defects include:
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Cerebral Palsy
Cleft Lift and/or palate
Down Syndrome
Muscular Dystrophy
Sickle Cell Anemia
Spina Bifida and more!
Causes of Birth Defects
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Some causes are environmental because
it is during the first few weeks that a baby
develops all the bodily systems needed
for survival
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The mother’s diet
Any diseases or infections the mother has
Harmful substances
Some medicines
Exposure to hazards (such as chemicals, Xrays, etc.)
Some causes are hereditary
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Sometimes a child inherits a defective gene
that is dominant such as Huntington's
Some conditions affect only one sex and
usually it’s the males
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Hemophilia
Color blindness and more
More Causes of Birth defects
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Errors in chromosomes
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Such as when a baby has too
many or too few
chromosomes or has broken
or rearranged chromosomes
This usually leads to Down
Syndrome
Prevention and Diagnosis of Birth
Defects
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All types of birth defects cannot be
anticipated or controlled, but there are
several things that couples can do to
minimize the chances.
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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 baby’s 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
The Dilemma
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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!
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You have 3 minutes to copy down these
questions
They should all be discussed in your paper
Avoiding Dangers to the Baby
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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
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Medicines that are over the counter and
prescribe by the doctor
Caffeine
Nicotine
All illegal drugs
inhalants
Causes of Drugs
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Not avoiding the drugs can lead
to:
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Low birth weight
SIDS (Sudden infant death
syndrome)
Risks of seizures
Tremors and developmental delay
Congenital heart disease
Hazardous Substances and Chemicals
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A pregnant woman should also
avoid:
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Paint-low odor and/or latex
Pesticides
Lead
Carbon monoxide
Mercury (found in fish)
Infections
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Occasionally a woman might get
and infection during pregnancy
and should seek immediate
doctor’s attention.
Some of the infections include:
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Rubella
Toxoplasmosis
Chicken pox
Other diseases that may cause
birth defects includes STD’s and
AIDS
Reflection
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Write down 3 facts you learned
about birth defects today.
Write down 3 more things you
would like to learn about birth
defects.