Birth defects in infants are among the most worrying factors for expectant mothers. Most people should be aware of the fact that the risks depend on various factors including the age of the mother, medical history of the parents, and even the mental condition of the mother. The results of birth defects in infants can be visible in both the physical or mental condition of the one affected and it could either be simple or complicated.
All of these depend on the both the physical and mental condition of the mother right from the time of conception. There are a lot of things that should be considered with regards to the risks associated with birth defects. If the mother is at a normal age for giving birth, and has normal health conditions without past health problems or any health effects from family heredity then the risks of birth defects in the infant is incredibly less or even negligible.
However, the cases with visible birth defects which are primarily due to genetic problems are only about two to three percent out of more than 50 percent of the cases. A large number of cases are known to have positive outcomes with some special care during the pregnancy up to the time of delivery.
The Birth Defects
The actual defects related to birth vary from case to case and it can involve the different body parts of the infant. Some defects may lead to affect the physical functioning of one or more body parts while some affect the mental functioning like having underdeveloped. The worst condition can be a combination of both the physical and mental problems. Some of the common birth defects are related to hearing, speech, movement of the limbs, normal functioning of the heart, brain, kidney, or lungs, premature aging, brain development and the affectation of other body parts.
These problems can be very minor and can be cured while a few of them can take a longer time to be cured because of their affectation and severity. Some of the defects may even require surgeries for correction. The worst defects can be non curable which means that the infant will have to live with the defect for a lifetime. The complexity of the defect can depend on physical and mental health of the mother before, during and after the delivery of the baby.
Maxi Health, Vitamin B-12 with Folic Acid and Biotin, 180 LozengesDiagnosing and Reducing Birth Defect Risks
Birth defects can be diagnosed at various stages including the pre-pregnancy stage where a woman is yet to conceive. The woman’s health is always important and most critical between the age bands of 25 and 30. This is the time period when most women get conceived. Most women should be aware of the fact that this is also the time when they should take certain precautionary measures to reduce the birth defect risks.
- The first thing to keep in mind is that the age of the mother should not exceed 30 or 32 at most for her to achieve healthy pregnancy.
- A routine health checkup by a gynecologist and obstetrician is one of the main things that a pregnant woman should consider because he or she is the best person who can give you advice when it comes to your health condition as a mother. If there are any complications with health that can be treated by the assistance of medicines, your gynecologist and obstetrician can give the best treatment for you.
- Follow a healthy diet plan and make sure that you exercise in fresh air which contributes to the normal functioning of your body parts. This is a very significant factor for the expectant mothers to have a safe and healthy pregnancy.
- It is not advisable for women to continue working if they are into some job or business because the stress produced at work can affect the baby negatively. Stress can instantly lead to the fluctuation of blood pressure and blood sugar levels in some cases. Thus, it is easier to avoid going to work or taking any kind of stress.
- Ensure that you keep your mind fresh, calm and peaceful at all times by not taking any physical or mental stress. This is something which the rest of the family members of the pregnant woman should be careful about. Therefore, the atmosphere and the environment inside the home of the pregnant woman should be pleasing from the time of conception until delivery.
- Timely health checkup as advised by the doctor during pregnancy should be strictly followed. Routine checkup starting from the third month until the delivery time is highly advisable. The delivery time is the most crucial stage where various tests and scans are conducted. Through the regular checkups, the possible complications in the baby or the woman’s health can be diagnosed and treated. Missing an appointment scheduled with the doctor is one thing that you definitely need to avoid.
- Any birth defect related complications may arise even after conception due to a number of reasons including heredity and physical or mental stress levels. Some cases are again curable and the doctors will readily inform you about the detected complication upon delivery. If they advise to remove the baby for any reason relating to the complication detected, you should not hesitate and prepare yourself mentally to accept what the doctor will advise to you.
Birth Defects and Avoiding Them
So it is always good to know more about the birth defects and how to avoid or reduce the birth defects even before you conceive. During pregnancy, it would always be best to take care of your health because you have to remember that there is a life inside you that you have to take care of.