January is Birth Defects Prevention Awareness Month is to create awareness to help provide tips and info on how to have a healthier pregnancy and ways to better care for our babies. Birth defects normally occur during the first 3 months of pregnancy that affect 1 or more body parts. 1 in 33 babies in the US are born with a birth defect. These birth defects include congenital heart defects, cleft lip, cleft palate, and spina bifida.
The best ways to try to prevent birth defects is by getting prenatal care early and throughout your pregnancy, taking daily prenatal vitamins that include folic acid, avoiding harmful substances (drinking, smoking, and drugs), and eating well. The leading cause of birth defects and development disorders is prenatal exposure to alcohol.
There are many tests available that can be done to check for many birth defects while baby is still on the inside. Not all birth defects are discovered at birth.
Some birth defects are mild and can be treated without lasting problems. Other defects can cause serious problems, even death. Birth defects can cause physical and/or developmental disabilities. Birth defects often need special medical treatment and care. Early treatment is better to prevent more serious health problems.
Check out March of Dime's website for more information and pass it along to others to help to try prevention birth defects for little ones.
https://www.marchofdimes.org/january-national-birth-defects-awareness-month#:~:text=January%20is%20National%20Birth%20Defects%20Awareness%20Month%20%7C%20March%20of%20Dimes