Birth Defects Awareness Week

By Nurse Diane

I love to bake.  Most weekends you can find me in my kitchen baking up something sweet to share with friends and neighbors.  I like trying out new recipes, but I have found, that if you don't follow them correctly, the treat I am baking just doesn't turn out right.   The same can be said when you are "baking a bun in the oven".  If you put the wrong ingredients in, the end results may not turn out just right.

I was recently talking to a friend of mine - many years ago, his sister was taking some medication prescribed from her doctor.  At that time, it was not known about the possible birth defects caused by this drug.  When the baby was born, there were several defects; one of them was hair covering the baby's face.  Unfortunately, the baby only lived a few days.

This is National Alcohol and Other Drug-Related birth Defects Awareness Week.  According to www.ncadd.org there are some startling facts

• Fetal alcohol syndrome disorders (FASD) – is the leading known cause of developmental disabilities in newborns (historically known as mental retardation) stems from maternal alcoholism or heavy drinking during pregnancy.  Features of FASD include growth deficiency before and after birth, developmental delays, intellectual challenges, behavioral problems, changes in facial features such as a flattened mid-face, small jaw and/or a thin upper lip.
• Perinatal cocaine exposure - can result in obstetrical complications such as low birth weight, smaller head circumference, abnormal neonatal behavior and cerebral infarction at birth.  Children with this exposure are easily distracted, passive and face a variety of visual and perceptual problems and difficulties with fine motor skills.
• Alcohol and Drug use During Pregnancy - in the US, 20% (about 1 million) of pregnant women smoke cigarettes; another 18% (about 750,000) women drink alcohol during pregnancy; another 6% (225,000) women use an illicit drug at least once while carrying a child to term.

Each May, NCADD and our National Network of Affiliates play a major and vital role across the US in educate people, especially women, about the dangers of consuming alcohol and using drugs during pregnancy.  For More information on how you can help, visit their site by clicking here  http://www.ncadd.org/index.php/programs-a-services/alcoholdrugs-related-birth-defects-awareness/191-ncadd-alcohol-a-other-drug-related-birth-defects-awareness-week

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Birth Defect Awareness Month

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By Diane Forrest, RN

On December 6, 2011 at 2:30 in the afternoon, my stepson and his wife had a beautiful baby boy named Easton Clark, 7 pounds and 4 ounces.  The news of the arrival of this baby was a very happy occasion, however not all births are as uncomplicated as this one.  In 1986 some friends were expecting their first baby.  These people were healthy, smart, did all the proper things, had regular checkups and she took her vitamins and ate properly.  Did not smoke or drink, did not take any medications.  They had all the expectations of a perfect pregnancy and delivery.   She lived in Atlanta, so I didn't have much occasion to see her, however the first time I saw her, she appeared to be having twins.  She assured me she wasn’t, and all the sonograms and ultrasounds confirmed.  The night her baby was born, however, there was a different story.  It was a dark, stormy night, and her water broke.  Her husband rushed her to the hospital, as all expectant fathers do, and the hospital staff proceeded to ready her for delivery.  What happened next was a shock for all.  What was expected to be a routine delivery ended up being an emergency Cesarean Section, my friend nearly died, and the obstetrician fainted.

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Her baby was born with hydrocephalus and spina bifida.  There was no warning there was any problems with the pregnancy, however, later, research showed that both families had a history of these problems.    There are thousands of different birth defects. About 120,000 babies in the United States are born each year with a birth defect. The most common birth defects are heart defects, cleft lip and cleft palate, Down syndrome and spina bifida.

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There are also birth defects that come from the mother during pregnancy.  If the mother smokes, drinks alcohol, takes illegal drugs and even some prescribed medication, or develops a sexually transmitted disease will also increase the chances of a birth defect.

January is Birth Defect Awareness Month.  What you can do to be aware is to encourage routine medical checkups during the pregnancy, avoid drinking alcohol, smoking and drugs unless prescribed, eat healthy, drink plenty of fluids, exercise and get lots of rest. 

For more ways you can help click on this site for the March of Dimes:  http://www.marchofdimes.com/default.html#