Birth Defects: What Every Parent Needs to Know

There is always a concern about a birth defect when you are pregnant. Even if you are healthy, not on any medications, young and without any history of birth defects, there is always a risk that your baby may be born with a birth defect. In fact, according to the Centre for Disease Control, about 3 percent of babies are born with a birth defect. While some birth defects will lead to a greater risk of infant death, others are completely manageable with the right treatment and care. Below are some of the most common birth defects across Australia and what you need to know about each one:

Heart Defects

Heart defects occur in around 1 in 110 births. Many are so mild that you may not realise that there is anything wrong while others can be defected through ultrasound when the baby is still in the womb. Heart defects most often include a heart murmur or abnormal heart sound. Some heart defects will correct themselves; others will require surgery down the road; and others will lead to heart failure. However, in most instances, heart defects can now be corrected with surgery or medication. Symptoms of heart defects include problems breathing and feeding, swelling in the legs or around the eyes and a rapid heartbeat.

Spina Bifida

Spina bifida is a neural tube defect which impacts the brain and spine. Spina bifida prevents the backbone from completely closing during the development of the foetus and in some instances, can be detected during ultrasound. Spina bifida will range in terms of severity and treatment needed. In some instances, the baby may need to undergo an operation right after birth while in other instances, the problem may only cause minor problems. Common obstacles for those with spina bifida include leg paralysis and bladder and bowel control. Many children with spina bifida will need a wheelchair or leg braces in order to move around. It impacts around 1in 2000 babies.

Down syndrome

Down syndrome affects 1 in 800 births but it is much more common in pregnancies where the mum is 35 or older. There are tests performed during the pregnancy to determine the risk level of Down syndrome in the baby and whether there are any indicating factors present. Down syndrome comes with a number of physical characteristics including children with slanted eyes, small ears, a small mouth and a short neck. Children with Down syndrome may have visual or hearing impairments as well as complications with the intestines. Children with Down syndrome may develop at a slower rate and will have some level of intellectual disabilities but they are still fully capable of interacting, talking, walking and learning.

Club Foot

Club foot occurs in around 1 in 400 babies and is more common in boys than girls. Club foot is an ankle and foot deformity and involves treatment to help the baby learn to walk and correct the lining of the foot. In many instances, the baby may need to wear special shoes or a plaster cast to help correct the foot.

Cleft Lip or Palate

Cleft lip or palate involves a deformity of the upper lip or dental arch. It impacts around 1 in 700 babies and can cause problems with feeding, especially breastfeeding, language development and infections of the middle ear. Babies with a cleft lip or palate will normally undergo surgery within the first year and be left with minimal scarring and nothing more.

References:

Kids Health. Birth Defects. 2013http://kidshealth.org/parent/system/ill/birth_defects.html