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  • Healthy Diet Lowers Risk of Birth Defects

    Reduce the risk of birth defects by choosing healthy food before you get pregnant. A new study from Stanford University shows that diet quality matters -- a lot!

  • Questions to Ask Your Doctor or Genetic Counselor About: Family History of Birth Defects

    What are the questions to ask about your family history of possible birth defects or genetic disorders? Read the list we've put together for you!

  • FDA Warns Birth Defects with Paxil

    The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is advising that birth defect warnings should to be added to the prescription-only antidepressant, Paxil (Paroxetine).

  • Are Vaccinations Safe While Trying to Conceive?

    QUESTION

    Dear Midwife,
    I recently had the following vaccinations: Polio, DPT and MMR as requirements for my immigrations papers. My husband also had them.

    My question is, do I need to wait before getting pregnant? Can these vaccinations cause birth defects?

    I conceived my first child rather quickly and I was planning on getting pregnant again this month.

  • In the Course of a Year

    Our son had been born with a cleft lip. I didn't know what to think. All kinds of thoughts flooded my mind, full of fear, worry, concern, and tons of questions, but all I could do at that moment was hope and pray that our son would be okay and, of course, cry.

  • Types of Spina Bifida

    When a woman is pregnant, her thoughts tend to focus on the baby's name, the color of the nursery and preparing the home for the new arrival. Most parents-to-be never have to worry about their child being born with a birth defect...

  • Information on Trisomy 13

    The 13th chromosome contains blueprints that direct a baby's development in the early weeks following conception. When a child has an extra 13th chromosome, as is the case in Trisomy 13, the genetic messages are confused and contradictory. Even the mildest forms of this syndrome are devastating.

  • Autism

    Autism is a complex neurological disorder that effects social interaction, cognitive abilities and emotional development. It is a disorder with no known cause and no cure. Early intervention and public awareness, coupled with strong research efforts are making huge strides to improve the quality of life for autistic individuals.

  • Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) & Fetal Alcohol Effects (FAE)

    Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is a set of physical, mental and neurobehavioral birth defects that are associated with the consumption of alcohol during pregnancy. Not all babies of mothers who consume alcohol during their pregnancy will develop Fetal Alcohol Syndrome.

  • Information on Trisomy 13

    The 13th chromosome contains blueprints that direct a baby's development in the early weeks following conception. When a child has an extra 13th chromosome, as is the case in Trisomy 13, the genetic messages are confused and contradictory. Even the mildest forms of this syndrome are devastating.

  • Pregnancy and Drug Use

    Women can have special risk factors for drug abuse. Women can become addicted quickly to certain drugs, such as crack cocaine. Therefore, by the time they seek help, their addiction may be difficult to treat

  • Are Vaccinations Safe While Trying to Conceive?

    QUESTION

    Dear Midwife,
    I recently had the following vaccinations: Polio, DPT and MMR as requirements for my immigrations papers. My husband also had them.

    My question is, do I need to wait before getting pregnant? Can these vaccinations cause birth defects?

    I conceived my first child rather quickly and I was planning on getting pregnant again this month.

  • Autism

    Autism is a complex neurological disorder that effects social interaction, cognitive abilities and emotional development. It is a disorder with no known cause and no cure. Early intervention and public awareness, coupled with strong research efforts are making huge strides to improve the quality of life for autistic individuals.

  • PUSH: A Pox on our House

    Chicken pox can cause birth defects in the fetus. I couldn't think of any scarier words on earth. Two minutes earlier I was blissfully fact -- checking a column about Italian cheese, and now we're talking birth defects?

  • In the Course of a Year

    Our son had been born with a cleft lip. I didn't know what to think. All kinds of thoughts flooded my mind, full of fear, worry, concern, and tons of questions, but all I could do at that moment was hope and pray that our son would be okay and, of course, cry.

  • Types of Spina Bifida

    When a woman is pregnant, her thoughts tend to focus on the baby's name, the color of the nursery and preparing the home for the new arrival. Most parents-to-be never have to worry about their child being born with a birth defect...

  • Pregnancy and Alcohol Consumption

    Alcohol, found in wine, beer and liquors, is a toxic substance that is quickly transferred from the mother's bloodstream to the baby's. Because all the organs of the fetus are forming, they are particularly vulnerable to toxic substances...

  • Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) & Fetal Alcohol Effects (FAE)

    Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is a set of physical, mental and neurobehavioral birth defects that are associated with the consumption of alcohol during pregnancy. Not all babies of mothers who consume alcohol during their pregnancy will develop Fetal Alcohol Syndrome.