Can birth defects be prevented?

- a few steps a woman can take before & during pregnancy to reduce her risk of having a baby with a birth defect:

  * Get a preconception checkup with a health care provider
- a medical checkup a woman gets before getting pregnant
- the provider can identify and often treat health conditions that can pose a risk in pregnancy
- especially crucial for women with chronic health conditions, like diabetes, high blood pressure and epilepsy, that can affect pregnancy

- eg. women with diabetes who have poor blood-sugar control are several times more likely than women without diabetes to have a baby with a serious birth defect
- if their blood sugar levels are well controlled before pregnancy, they are almost as likely to have a healthy baby as women without diabetes
 
  * Make sure her vaccinations are up-to-date
- all women should be tested for immunity to rubella (German measles) and chickenpox before getting pregnant and consider being vaccinated if they are not immune
- after being vaccinated, a woman should wait 1 mth before becoming pregnant
- rubella poses a high risk of birth defects if a woman gets infected during pregnancy
- chickenpox also can cause birth defects, though the risk is low
  
 * Take a multivitamin containing 400 micrograms of folic acid daily starting before pregnancy and in early pregnancy to help prevent NTDs
- if a woman already has had a pregnancy affected by an NTD, she should consult her provider before pregnancy about how much folic acid to take
- generally a higher dose, 4 milligrams, is recommended
- women with diabetes or epilepsy or who are obese are at increased risk of having a baby with these birth defects
- they should ask their providers before pregnancy about whether they should take the larger dose of folic acid
  
 * Eat healthy foods, including foods containing folic acid and folate, the form of folic acid that occurs naturally in foods
- foods high in folic acid include fortified breakfast cereals, enriched grain products, beans, leafy green vegetables and orange juice

    * Get early and regular prenatal care

    * Don’t eat undercooked meat or change a cat’s litter box
- both are possible sources of toxoplasmosis, an infection that can cause birth defects

    * Avoid contact with all rodents, including hamsters, mice and guinea pigs
- these animals can carry a virus that can harm a baby

    * Don’t eat fish that contain high amounts of mercury
- these fish include shark, swordfish, king mackerel or tilefish
- it’s all right for a pregnant woman to eat up to 12 ounces a week of fish that have small amounts of mercury, such as shrimp, salmon, pollock, catfish and canned light tuna
- should not eat more than 6 ounces of albacore (white) tuna per week
- women also should check local advisories about the safety of fish caught in local waters

    * Begin pregnancy at a healthy weight (not too heavy or too thin)
    * Don’t smoke and avoid secondhand smoke
    * Don’t drink alcohol
    * Don’t use any drug, even over-the-counter medications or herbal preparations, unless recommended by a health care provider who knows the woman is pregnant