1. Problem Pregnancies Birth Defects

2. 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..

3. 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

4. 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 Conclusion

5. Discussion  How may 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. 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.

6. 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

7. 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.

8. 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.

9.  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. Can birth defects be prevented?

10. 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

11. ► 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

12. ► 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

13. Can some birth defects be diagnosed before birth? Some birth defects can be diagnosed before birth. Some prenatal tests that can be taken are: Ultrasound Amniocentesis Chronic villus sampling

14. 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,

15. 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.

16. Preventing Birth Defects Nutrition Nutrition Alcohol Alcohol Smoking Smoking Drugs Drugs STDs STDs Rubella Rubella Parasites Parasites Radiation Radiation

17. Student Reports Divide students into groups of 3. IN your group, come up with as many birth defects you can think of as a group. The group that has the most that no one else has, WINS!

18. Problem Pregnancies

19.  Anyone can have it. More common in some races  Appears at birth  Birth defect  Roof of mouth (palate) not joined.  Treated with surgeries.

20.  Anyone can have it  Present at birth  Many reasons for it.  Foot and ankle twisted making it impossible to walk.  Treated with surgery and shoes.

21.  Sex Linked-- Males  Present at birth  Inability to distinguish certain colors.  No cure—learn to accommodate

22.  Recessive genetic  Usually present at birth—can show up later  Lack an enzyme so mucous builds up especially in lungs and digestion.  Treated with drugs, and pounding on back.

23.  Anyone can get it  Occurs at birth or later  Many factors—incl. genetics and overweight  Abnormal metabolism of sugar & insulin  Treated with insulin and diet

24.  More common to young or older parents or genetic tendency  Present at birth  21 st Chromosome error  Varies from mild to severe  Surgery for heart defect. Help as needed

25.  Down syndrome (DS), also called Trisomy 21, is a condition in which extra genetic material causes delays in the way a child develops, both mentally and physically. It affects about 1 in every 800 babies.

26.  In most cases of Down syndrome, a child gets an extra chromosome 21 — for a total of 47 chromosomes instead of 46. Although no one knows for sure why DS occurs and there's no way to prevent the chromosomal error that causes it, scientists do know that women age 35 and older have a significantly higher risk of having a child with the condition.

27.  Kids with Down syndrome tend to share certain physical features such as a flat facial profile, an upward slant to the eyes, small ears, and a protruding tongue.  Down syndrome affects kids' ability to learn in different ways, but most have mild to moderate intellectual impairment.

28.  Almost half of all children born with DS will have a congenital heart defect.  Approximately half of all kids with DS also have problems with hearing and vision.  Other medical conditions that may occur more frequently in kids with DS include thyroid problems, intestinal abnormalities, seizure disorders, respiratory problems, obesity, an increased susceptibility to infection, and a higher risk of childhood leukemia.

29.  Sex linked— males  Present at birth  Genetic  Absence of clotting factor  Treated with transfusions and avoid injury

30.  Genetic  Shows up in middle age.  Deterioration of body and brain leading to death  No cure

31.  Anyone can get it  Present at birth or acquired later  Many factors cause it  Fluid (water) builds up on brain causing brain damage  Surgery to put in shunt

32.  X-linked genetic  Present at birth or later in life  Weakening and wasting away of muscles. Sometimes death  No cure

33.  Anyone can get it— more common in blacks  Present at birth  Genetic recessive  Abnormal blood cells—misshaped and unable to carry oxygen  Treated with transfusions

34.  More common in Jews (ethnicity, not religion)  Diagnosed by six months—dies around age 3 to 5  Genetic—recessive  Inability to break down fatty deposits in the brain. Nervous system shuts down.  No cure

35.  Phenylketonuria (PKU) is an inherited disorder that affects about 1 in every 10,000 people: they cannot break down the protein from food in the usual way.  PKU leads to mental retardation if untreated.  PKU is one of the few genetic diseases that can be controlled by diet.

36.  Polydactyly is the presence of more than the normal number of fingers or toes. the condition is usually inherited  Polydactyly can be corrected by surgical removal of the extra digit or partial digit.

37.  Brain malformed, injured at birth, or damaged later in life  Not inherited  Ranges from super intelligent to severely retarded  Affects brain’s ability to control muscles  Treat the symptoms

38.  Genetic—recessive  More common in Greeks and Italians  Present at birth  Abnormal red blood cells, not enough red blood cells.  Treated with blood transfusions

39.  The earlier in pregnancy the mother is infected, the lower is the risk of an infection of the fetus, but the severer is the disease. The later in pregnancy the mother is infected, the higher is the possibility of fetal infection, and the disease is less severe  Parasitic infection from cat fecal matter or undercooked/raw meat  Infected children have seizures, hearing loss, jaundice, blindness, mental retardation  Prevent by cooking meat, not being around cats

40.  Anyone can get it  Present at birth  Many factors cause it—current research links it to Folic Acid deficiency in mother  Can be slight cyst on spine to open spine—legs are paralyzed, poor bladder control  Treated with surgery and therapy

41.  Spina bifida is a neural tube defect caused by the failure of the fetus's spine to close properly during the first month of pregnancy.  Infants born with SB sometimes have an open lesion on their spine where significant damage to the nerves and spinal cord has occurred.

42.  Although the spinal opening can be surgically repaired shortly after birth, the nerve damage is permanent, resulting in varying degrees of paralysis of the lower limbs.

43. Environmental

44.  The baby receives nourishment through the placenta  Anything the mother takes into her body the baby gets too!

45.  No drugs should be taken by a pregnant woman, unless prescribed by a physician.  90% of over-the-counter drugs available have never been tested for their effects on the unborn.  No pregnant woman should take any illegal drug because of the high rate of birth defects.  Men planning for future fatherhood, should not use illegal drugs because of the effect upon the sperm.

46.  What prescription drugs can a pregnant woman take?  Tylenol, Advil, Aleve?  ALWAYS ASK YOUR DOCTOR FIRST!

47.  Prematurity, neonatal intoxification and withdrawal, decreased alertness, and an increase of SIDS.  Symptoms in the baby include: jitteriness, excessive crying, increased appetite, extreme irritability.  Long term effects include learning disabilities, behavior problems and Attention Deficit Disorder.

48.  Diazepam, Valium are examples.  The baby will go through withdrawals for 8-10 days.  Effects on baby: lethargy, respiratory difficulties, apneic spells (breathing problems), can’t regulate temperature, hypotonia (muscles), and failure to suck effectively.

49.  Fetal effects: growth retardation, developmental delays.  Withdrawal may not be apparent until 5-7 days after birth.

50. What if I only drink a little while pregnant? I don’t drink the hard stuff… is that okay? Will I be okay if I stop the last few months. Beer doesn’t count, does it?

51.  Drinking alcohol, any kind and any time, during your pregnancy may be harmful.  If you drink while pregnant, your baby will be at risk to be born with FETAL ALCOHOL SYNDROME  FETAL ALCOHOL SYNDROME is caused by drinking alcoholic beverages while pregnant. The cause of this birth defect is considered to be “environmental”.

52. ◦ Leading cause of mental retardation, or some degree of mental disability ◦ Short attention span ◦ Hyperactivity ◦ Social and behavior problems ◦ Abnormally small at birth ◦ Small head circumference ◦ Small, widely spaced eyes ◦ Flat mid-face ◦ Thin upper lip and underdeveloped jaw

53.  Low birth rate  the more a woman smokes, the smaller her baby will be.  Increases the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome  Increased risk of spontaneous abortion, fetal death, low implantation of the placenta, premature separation of the placenta, bleeding and pre-term delivery.

54.  Low Birth Weight  Conjunctivitis (Pinkeye)