BIRTH DEFORMITIES AND CONGENITAL ABNORMALITIES

These two terms are often used interchangeably. Birth defects are rare, usually minor and cause no harm to the baby. The more serious ones include hare lip, cleft palate, congenital heart disease, Down’s Syndrome and spina bifida.

CAUSES: Do not feel guilty if your baby is born with a birth defect; it is usually due to a factor beyond your control. 

Two avoidable causes of birth deformities, however, are the use of alcohol and tobacco during pregnancy. 

Similarly, certain drugs taken during pregnancy, especially during the first 3 months, can cause problems. If you are pregnant, don’t take any drug without first checking with your doctor.

Birth defects could also be due to abnormalities of chromosomes. These are present in the nuclei of all our body cell except the red cells. We have 46 chromosomes. Twentythree are passed to the child from the father and 23 from the mother. These chromosomes carry several genes on which depend our looks, the colour of our eyes and the size of our nose, and also the way different cells in our body function.

Abnormalities of chromosomes can result in certain diseases like Down’s Syndrome. 

If the defect is due to a chromosomal abnormality, and this happens to be your first child, you could not have done much to prevent it.

PREVENTION: Discuss the risk of birth defects with your doctor if you are married to a close relative (consanguineous marriage), if you have diabetes, the thalassemia trait (see Amzemia) or any infection like German measles during pregnancy. 

It is advisable for parents of a child with a birth defect to seek the advice of a genetic counsellor before they decide to have another child, because some defects can occur in more than one child. Your family doctor or paediatrician can guide you in this matter. 

Folic acid taken during pregnancy greatly reduces the chances of the baby being born with spina bifida.

11 February, 2013