Birth defects are not always preventable, but a mother’s prenatal care can help protect her unborn child. Fortunately, treatments have been developed to help affected babies survive after birth.
Major or minor
Birth defects are various structural variations that can affect a child’s development or functional ability. While minor defects are not as severe as major ones, they can affect a child’s life in various ways, from debilitating illness to long-term disability. These conditions are often the result of a genetic predisposition but can also result from environmental factors. They also affect the mother and child and can lead to premature delivery and other complications.
Major defects are those that affect the body structure. These conditions include ventricular septal defect, atrial septal defect, gastroschisis, diaphragmatic hernia, polydactyly, hypospadias, and chromosomal abnormalities.
Can be caused by genetic abnormalities
Genetic abnormalities are caused by changes in the genes and chromosomes that can cause various health problems. These changes affect the sequence of genes and the proteins they make. They can be passed down from parents to children. In some cases, mutations occur first in sperm or egg cells and are not apparent until a child is born. There are different types of genetic disorders, including single-gene disorders and X-linked disorders.
Chromosomal abnormalities can disrupt the function of many genes essential for development. They can also cause imbalances in the dosage of genes expressed in the affected chromosomal segment. These imbalances can cause discrete phenotypic features or result in contiguous gene syndrome, in which several genes are affected by the same deletion or duplication. Other chromosomal syndromes are caused by the deletion or duplication of a single gene, which results in the haploinsufficiency of that gene.
It can be structural or functional
Birth defects are defects in the way the body works. These defects can be either structural or functional, depending on the type. Structural defects can affect the entire body, while functional defects can affect one specific part of the body. There are many different birth defects, each of which can be dangerous to the fetus.
A structural birth defect occurs when the skeleton, organs, or systems of a child do not develop properly in the womb. The majority of these defects occur during the first trimester of pregnancy. If you suspect that your baby has a structural birth defect, you will be advised to seek medical attention as soon as possible. Many structural defects are treatable, and treatments will vary depending on the type of defect and its severity.
It can be treatable in utero
Certain birth defects can be diagnosed before birth using an ultrasound, amniocentesis, or chronic villus sampling. In addition, most women have blood tests to screen for the risk of specific birth defects, such as Down syndrome. Although a prenatal diagnosis does not necessarily lead to a cure, it can help parents prepare themselves emotionally and physically for the birth of their baby.
