influences on birth defects - iredell-statesville · facts about 150,000 babies are born each year...
TRANSCRIPT
FACTS
� About 150,000 babies are born each year with birth defects.
� The parents of one out of every 28 babies receive the frightening news that their baby has a birth defect
� There are over 4,000 known birth defects
� Birth defects are the leading cause of death in the first year of life.
Environmental Influences on
Birth Defects
� Inadequate nutrition of mother
� Exposure to diseases or infections
during pregnancy
� Harmful substances consumed during
pregnancy
Environmental Influences on
Birth Defects
Inadequate nutrition of mother
�Stunted brain development of baby
�Leads to mental retardation
Environmental Influences on
Birth Defects
Exposure to diseases or infections
during pregnancy� Rubella, or German Measles, can cause blindness,
deafness, heart disease, and mental retardation
� Toxoplasmosis, can cause hearing loss, learning
disabilities and death; found in cat litter and some
raw meats
� Chicken pox, scarring of babies’ skin, limb defects,
eye problems, and miscarriage
� STDs can be passed to unborn child and lead to serious illness, physical disabilities, or death
Environmental Influences on
Birth Defects
Harmful substances consumed during pregnancy
� Nicotine from smoking tobacco or secondhand
smoke
� Smaller babies
� Miscarriages and premature births
� Respiratory infections or allergies
Environmental Influences on
Birth Defects
Harmful substances consumed during pregnancy
� Alcohol can cause fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS)
� 20% of infants die
� Facial deformities, delayed physical growth, heart defects, and hyperactivity
� Mental retardation or disabilities
� Poor coordination
� Difficulty controlling behavior
Environment Influences of
Birth Defects
Harmful substances consumed while pregnant
� Drugs
� Over-the-the counter drugs
� Drug addiction
� Long-term learning and behavioral problems
� Risk of miscarriages
� Congenital heart problems
Environmental Influences on
Birth Defects
Exposure to hazards during pregnancy
� Chemicals
� X-rays
� Toxoplasmosis – extreme high blood
pressure
Environmental Influences on
Birth Defects
Accidental injuries
� Cerebral palsy caused by damage to
brain before, during, or shortly after
birth
� Falls lead to a variety of complications
Hereditary Influences on
Birth Defects
Dominant genes?
Recessive genes?
Can you explain the difference?
Hereditary Influences on
Birth Defects
1. Defective recessive genes inherited from both parents
• Cystic fibrosis
• Tay-Sachs disease
• Sickle cell anemia
2. Defective dominant gene inherited from one parent
• Hemophilia
• Huntington’s disease
• Duchenne muscular dystrophy
• Color blindness
3. Errors in chromosomes
• Down syndrome
Combined Influence of Heredity
and Environment Birth Defects
� Drugs + virus = heart defect
� Cleft lip/cleft palate
� Spina Bifida – reduce risk by taking
folic acid
� While the potential causes of most birth defects are not known, there are a number of steps a woman can take to reduce her risk of having a baby with a birth defect.
Can birth defects be
prevented?
Factors that contribute to
Birth Defects:
• Overweight
• Underweight
• Jewish descent
• African-American
Brainstorm
� Visit a health care provider for a pre-pregnancy check up, especially if a woman has health problems
� When pregnant take daily multivitamins containing 400 mg of the B-vitamin folic acid
� Avoid alcohol, drugs, smoking, prescription or over-the-counter medication unless
approved by a health care provider
More factors that contribute
to birth defects
� Drinks alcohol
� Uses prescription drugs
� Has used street drugs
� Takes vitamins
� Drinks caffeine
� Has had exposure to chemicals
More factors that contribute
to birth defects
� Lives in a home built before 1955
(lead paint)
� Constant exposure to cats
� Has had x-rays during pregnancy
� High blood pressure
� Diabetes
� Sickle cell anemia
More factors that contribute
to birth defects
� Health problems
� Genital herpes
� Gonorrhea
� Syphilis
� No immunizations against rubella
� Miscarriage