Try these steps to decrease the risks
By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant
One in every 33 babies born in the US will have some degree of birth defect. Some can be corrected through surgery or other treatments. Others will experience lifelong effects that impact quality of life.
“We don’t know the reason for most birth defects,” said Darcy Dreyer, director of maternal-infant health with March of Dimes in New York state.
She encourages women who want to want to become pregnant to schedule a pre-conception check-up with a care provider. This can help identify any present risk factors.
Women can do plenty of other things to help reduce the risk of birth defects.
“Start taking folic acid as many as six months prior to conception to prevent neural tube defects,” Dreyer said.
Taking folic acid supplements to prevent neural tube defects is especially important in the first six weeks of pregnancy. Since pregnancy is typically detected between six- and eight-weeks’ gestation, it is vital to take them beforehand.
In addition, women need to “manage any chronic health conditions,” Dreyer said. “Diabetes is linked to birth defects.”
Managing chronic conditions can also help women get in a better state of health for a better delivery and recovery experience.
“Get to a healthy weight before becoming pregnant,” Dreyer advised.
Where you travel matters. Dreyer said to avoid going to locales where Zika virus is spreading, as that can cause birth defects, as can cytomegalovirus (CMV), which can cause minor illness in healthy adults but can be devastating for babies.
Dreyer also warned to avoid direct contact with used cat litter, as it raises the risk for toxoplasmosis. That doesn’t mean rehoming Whiskers. Wearing gloves or delegating litter changing duty to someone else solves the problem.
“You can also get toxoplasmosis from unwashed vegetables or uncooked meat,” Dreyer added.
Some OB-GYNs warn about eating deli meat that has not been heated, raw eggs or sushi.
“Avoid eating fish with high amounts of mercury,” Dreyer said.
No amount of alcohol while pregnant is safe. Developing babies are tiny, so small amounts of alcohol will affect them more profoundly, not only while the alcohol is in their systems but with possible lifelong repercussions.
“Once pregnant, it is important to avoid alcohol,” said physician Jordana Gilman, an instructor of clinical obstetrics and gynecology at Highland Hospital and attending physician at Highland Women’s Health. “This can cause fetal alcohol syndrome, which causes face abnormalities and developmental delays. [Avoid] recreational drugs. Certain prescription medications have a higher risk of birth defects associated with them, which is why it is important to meet with your OB-GYN early on in pregnancy to go over what medications you are taking. Don’t just stop them cold turkey; talk to your doctor first.”
The same principle would apply to supplements and any over-the-counter preparations. Some of these can harm babies. Clear them all with an OB-GYN.
Talking with an OB-GYN can help moms get a referral to a genetic counselor for screening so that they can know her chances of passing on genetic conditions to her baby. Even for moms who would never terminate a pregnancy, genetic screening can help women mentally prepare for a possible outcome and to learn about resources that can help.
“Ultrasound is another tool that we use to identify potential birth defects, but not to prevent them,” Gilman said. “Prevention comes early on, by being prepared for a healthy pregnancy and getting care in your first trimester.”