Section 1- Birth Defects Can It Happen to My Baby?

Define Birth Defects Working with your table group, develop a definition for the term birth defects. Your definition should answer two questions- –What is a birth defect? –How often do they occur? Select a group leader to share your teams definition.

How Common Are Birth Defects? 33 of every 1,000 babies have a birth defect that is identified at birth. Another 33 of every 1,000 children will have a birth defect diagnosed by age 5. Birth defects are the leading cause of infant mortality. Every couple faces a 4-6% chance of having a childe with a birth defect. Certain ethnic groups are at a higher risk of having certain birth defects.

What Causes Birth Defects? 1.GENETIC –Humans have approximately 35,000 genes. –When an individual gene is altered, it may not be able to function normally. –Birth defects can be hereditary. 2.CHROMOSOMAL: –Chromosome abnormalities can involve abnormal number or structure. –The normal human chromosome number is 46. –When a chromosome abnormality occurs, physical differences as well as learning problems result.

What Causes Birth Defects? 3.TERATOGEN –Teratogens are agents that cause harm to the developing baby. –They include drugs, maternal infections and environmental factors. –In order to definitively diagnose teratogenic causes of birth defects, both genetic and chromosomal causes need to be ruled out.

What Causes Birth Defects? 4.MULTIFACTORIAL –Genetic and environmental factors that, when combined, result in a birth defect. 5.OTHER –Some birth defects occur even when the underlying developmental process is proceeding normally.

Developmental Periods of Pregnancy PREIMPLANTATION PERIOD (Period of the Zygote) –Ovulation and fertilization occurs during this two- week period. –Developmental errors or harmful exposure during this period is likely to cause an early miscarriage.

Developmental Periods of Pregnancy EMBRYONIC PERIOD (Period of the embryo) –This period extends from the third through the eighth weeks post-conception. –It correlates with the 1 st trimester. –Most major birth defects occur during this time and are present by day 50 of the pregnancy.

Developmental Periods of Pregnancy FETAL PERIOD (Period of the fetus) –This period correlates with the second and third trimesters. –Rapid body growth occurs during this time. –Developmental errors and teratogenic effects can still occur during this time. –The central nervous system is continuing to develop and remains vulnerable.

Impact of Birth Defects Medical- –Many structural birth defects can be repaired. –However, some birth defects that are a simple to repair from a medical standpoint, may require multiple surgeries. For example- cleft palate. –Multiple visits and visits to specialists are typically required. –Frequent visits are typical during early childhood and taper off as the child ages and corrective work is done.

Impact of Birth Defects Emotional- –When a baby is born with a birth defect it is usually a frightening, stressful, and sad time for the family. –Many families react with grief. There may also be feelings of guilt. –When families do not understand why the birth defect occurred they may try to invent their own explanations or play the “what if” game. –May cause delayed bonding with baby.

Impact of Birth Defects Family- –A child with a birth defect demands a lot of resources and attention. –Dr. appointments, therapy visits, prosthetics all require time and money that can increase stress on families. –Not to be forgotten are the siblings, they may feel jealous of the attention and time being spent on the affected child.

Impact of Birth Defects Financial/ Economic –Not only is their an economic burden on the family, but also a burden on society. –Time must be missed from work, medical costs etc. –For example, in 1992 in Missouri a child born with spina bifida would have incurred a lifetime costs of $8,524,348.

An Ounce of Prevention  2000, 2005 The Curators of the University of Missouri

Discussion You will develop and write your response to the following situation on a piece of notebook paper. Tomorrow some of you will be selected to share your responses aloud- be prepared! Do you think that families who have hereditary birth defects/ genetic conditions should have children? Whose decision is it- the family’s, government, insurance company?