January is National Birth Defects Prevention Month
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Every month of the year is in honor of something. January, for example, is National Hobby Month as well as National Oatmeal Month, among others. For us here at BOL, however, the most significant thing about January is that it is the National Birth Defects Prevention Month in the US.
Here are some statistics on birth defects from the March of Dimes:
- A birth defect refers to an abnormality in structure, function or metabolism of an infant at birth. Birth defects can result in physical or mental disabilities or death.
- About 120,000 infants in the United States are born with birth defects each year. This is equivalent to 1 in every 33 babies.
- Birth defects are the leading cause of infant mortality in the first year of life.
- Thousands of different birth defects have been identified; however, only 30% of these are well-studied enough to pinpoint the causes. The causes of 70% remaining defects are unknown
Those birth defects whose causes are known can be grouped into three categories:
Birth defects due to genetic factors. The most commonly known of these are defects due chromosomal aberrations such as Down syndrome. Other well-known genetic birth defects are cystic fibrosis, hemophilia, and sickle cell anemia.
Birth defects due to environmental factors. Defects can result from exposure to certain environmental factors during pregnancy. These factors may be in the form of chemicals, pathogens, electromagnetic fields, and radiation (among others) and are called teratogens. The most commonly known teratogens are alcohol, chemicals from cigarettes, and certain drugs. Infections during pregnancy can also cause serious birth defects. Examples of teratogenic infections are the varicella (chicken pox) virus and the syphilis virus.
Multi-factorial birth defects. These defects are caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Examples of these types of defects are cleft lip/palate, spina bifida and congenital heart defects.
The most commonly reported birth defects in the US are as follows:
- Cleft lip/palate – 6,800 babies each year
- Down syndrome – 5,500 babies each year
- Transposition of the great arteries (heart defects9 – 1,900 babies each year)
- Spina bifida – 1,300 babies each year
For more information about birth defects, check out the National Birth Defects Prevention Network.
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