Birth defects are structural changes present at birth that can affect almost any part or parts of the body (e.g., heart, brain, foot). Every 4 ½ minutes, a baby is born with a birth defect in the United States. That means nearly 120,000 babies (1 in every 33) are affected by birth defects each year. Birth defects can vary from mild to severe. They may affect how the body looks, works, or both. The well-being of each child affected with a birth defect depends mostly on which organ or body part is involved and how much it is affected. Depending on the severity of the defect and what body part is affected, the expected lifespan of a person with a birth defect may or may not be affected.
A birth defect can be found before birth, at birth, or any time after birth. Most birth defects are found within the first year of life.
Birth defects can occur during any stage of pregnancy. Most birth defects occur in the first 3 months of pregnancy, when the organs of the baby are forming. This is a very important stage of development. However, some birth defects occur later in pregnancy. During the last six months of pregnancy, the tissues and organs continue to grow and develop.
For some birth defects, like fetal alcohol syndrome, we know the cause. But for most birth defects, we don’t know what causes them. For most birth defects, we think they are caused by a complex mix of factors. These factors include our genes (information inherited from our parents), our behaviors, and things in the environment. But, we don’t fully understand how these factors might work together to cause birth defects.
We have learned a lot about birth defects through past research. For example, some things might increase the chances of having a baby with a birth defect, such as:
Having one or more of these risks doesn’t mean you’ll have a pregnancy affected by a birth defect. Also, women can have a baby born with a birth defect even when they don’t have any of these risks. It is important to talk to your doctor about what you can do to lower your risk.
There are things that a woman can do before and during pregnancy to increase her chance of having a healthy baby:
Source: Centers for Disease Control