Problem Pregnancies Birth Defects

Caring for Baby Before Birth T or F It’s not necessary for a woman to see a health care provider until after she is pregnant. The most crucial stages of an unborn baby’s development could occur even before the woman realizes that she is pregnant. A woman can help to prevent certain types of birth defects by including folic acid in her diet before she becomes pregnant. During pregnancy, a woman will need additional calories and nutrients to help her baby develop.

A woman should not be concerned about her weight before pregnancy, since she’ll be putting on a lot of pounds anyway. Certain medical problems are easier to manage during pregnancy if they are well controlled before pregnancy. Smoking and drinking have little or no impact on the health of a baby. The lifestyle of the father has no impact on the health of his baby. Knowing the family history can help a person plan for a healthy pregnancy. Vaccinations are an important part of pre- pregnancy planning.

ANSWERS Scoring: 10 points for each correct – You already know a lot about what can be done before and during pregnancy to assure a healthy baby. Congratulations! You are well-informed about healthcare issues a pregnancy – You’re aware of some, but not all, of the factors that can influence the outcome of pregnancy. Time to learn some more – By taking this quiz, you‘ve learned there are many specific things a couple can do to improve their chances of having a healthy baby. Remember these health care practices as you make lifestyle decisions that will affect you future children. 1.F 2.T 3.T 4.T 5.F 6.T 7.F 8.F 9.T 10.T

The King and the Scratched Diamond Once there was a king, who had a beautiful, large pure diamond. There was no other diamond like it in the world. One day, it became deeply scratched. The king called his best diamond cutters, “I’ll promise you a great reward if you can remove the imperfection from my jewel.” But they could not. The king was very upset..

Many months later, a man came to the king. He promised to make the diamond even more beautiful than it ever had been. Impressed by the man’s confidence, the king consented. He watched as the man engraved an exquisite rosebud around the blemish and used the scratch to make its stem. --A parable of the Preacher of Dubno from Jewish folklore

Conclusion This story can easily be equated to birth defects. Even though a child with a birth defect may not appear to be perfect, he/she still has great abilities and opportunities to apply himself/herself in life. Rather than emphasizing the problem, we must focus on the abilities of the person

Cleft Lip

Cleft Palate

Club Foot

Down’s Syndrome

Muscular Dystrophy

PKU

Neural Tube Defects Spina Bifida

Neural Tube Defects Encephaloceles

Drug Related Birth Defects Thalidomide

STD Related Birth Defects Low Birth Weight Conjunctivitis (Pinkeye)

Discussion How many of you know someone who has had a problem pregnancy? Did she ever think anything like that could happen to her? No one plans on having a problem pregnancy, but everyone should know something about the potential problems in order to safeguard their health and the health of their fetus.

Student Reports Divide students into groups of 3. Students will review and collect information from the March of Dimes and other resources. Report to the class information gathered about assigned birth defect.

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

What is a Birth Defect? An abnormality of structure, function or body metabolism (inborn error of body chemistry) present at birth that results in physical or mental disability or is fatal.

Types of Birth Defects 1. Malformations present at birth defects such as congenital heart malformation, spina bifida (open spine), cleft palate, clubfoot 2. Inborn errors of metabolism Defects such as PKU, Tay Sachs disease 3. Blood Disorders Defects such as sickle cell anemia, hemophilia, thalassemia. 4. Chromosomal Abnormalities Conditions such as Down’s Syndrome, Klinefelter syndrome, Turner Syndrome. 5. Prenatal damage Cases include certain infections, drugs, maternal disorders such as diabetes, high blood pressure, Rh disease, umbilical cord accidents, difficult labor or delivery, premature birth.

What causes birth defects? Both genetic and environmental factors can cause birth defect. However, the causes of about 60% of birth defects are currently unknown. A single abnormal gene can cause birth defects. Every human being has about 100,000 genes that determine traits like eye color, hair, etc.

Preventing Birth Defects Nutrition Alcohol Smoking Drugs STDs Rubella Parasites Radiation

Can birth defects be prevented? While the 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. Visit a health care provider for a pre-pregnancy check up. Especially if a woman has health problems When pregnant take daily multivitamin containing 400 mg of the B-vitamin folic Acid Avoid alcohol, drugs, smoking, prescription or over-the- counter medication with out checking with her health care provider.

Lifestyle and Environment MOM ► Lifestyle  STD’s substance abuse, alcohol, habits ► Age ► Nutrition / Diet  caffeine  Folic Acid ► Health / exercise / attitude  weight  Stress level ► Missing pregnancy check-ups (13 total) ► Toxins and pollution ► Radiation ► Medical History ( immunizations and records) ► # of kids ( spacing from prior pregnancy) ► Genetics DAD Lifestyle – STD’s substance abuse, alcohol, habits Nutrition / Diet – Caffeine Health / exercise / attitude – weight – Stress level Medical history Radiation Genetics

Maternal (Mom) Factors that contribute to Birth Defects: Overweight Underweight Jewish decent African American Last birth was less than 12 month ago Has had a baby that weighed less than d ½ pounds Has had 3 or more miscarriages Has had more than 5 pregnancies Has had a still born baby

Drinks alcohol Has personal habits that are different from most people Uses prescription drugs Has used street drugs Takes vitamins Drinks caffeine Has had exposure to chemicals Live in a home built before 1955 Constant exposure to cats Has had x-rays during pregnancy

High blood pressureThalassemia DiabetesBirth defects HemophiliaMental retardation Sickle cell anemiaCystic Fibrosis Health problems: Genital herpesDiabetes GonorrheaHigh blood pressure SyphilisHeart disease EpilepsyAnemia No immunizations against rubella Rh factor Miscarriage

Can some birth defects be diagnosed before birth? Genetic counseling is a form of medical care that helps couples to understand their genetic codes and how they might affect their children. Ultrasound – A technique that uses sound waves to show a picture of a baby (fetus) in the womb. Amniocentesis – A small sample of amniotic fluid surrounding the fetus is removed and examined to detect certain birth defects ( Rh disease, and strength of the lungs of the fetus) Chronic villus sampling – A prenatal test that takes a tiny tissue sample from outside the sac where the fetus develops. Placenta Conditions

Can birth defects be treated before birth? Advances in prenatal therapy now make it possible to treat some birth defects before birth. Prenatal surgery – urinary-tract blockages, rare tumors in the lungs, spina bifida, ph disease,

Birth Defect Results Miscarriage – occurs prior to 20 weeks of pregnancy – Most miscarriages occur when pregnancy is not developing normally. Natures way of expelling a baby incapable of surviving. – 1 st trimester- chromosomal abnormalities in the fetus, hormonal problems, infections, and health problems of the mother. – 2 nd trimester – often caused by uterus problems. Misshaped uterus, weakened cervix that dilates prematurely, chromosomal abnormalities, immune system problems, Stillbirth – after 20 weeks of pregnancy – When the fetus appears to be developmentally normal, but for some reason is born dead. – Most common causes: Placenta problems, Birth defects, Growth restrictions, Infections Baby will live and you will enjoy the child and adjust to the defect.