National Birth Defect Prevention Month

Published on January 13, 2016

If you’re currently pregnant or have children, you may have researched different birth defects at some point in time. We’ve written about a few on our blog, as well, including those associated with antidepressants or the popular medication often prescribed for morning sickness, Zofran. For Birth Defect Prevention Month, the goal is to arm mommies-to-be with the knowledge they need to minimize the likelihood of a birth defect happening to their child. That’s because every 4 and a half minutes a baby is born with a birth defect in the United States – totaling about 120,000 babies born with a defect each year.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shared the easy steps you can take to increase the likelihood of a safe and healthy pregnancy, delivery and baby. They’re asking pregnant women to make a PACT for birth defect prevention, which includes:

Plan Ahead – If you plan on having a baby or think you will sometime in the future, research how you could prepare to make the pregnancy safer for both you and your baby. This involves the next three steps, as well.

Avoid harmful substances – This is an obvious one, but a simple search online will let you know what is harmful to your baby so you can stop using harmful substances prior to becoming pregnant.

Choose a healthy lifestyle – This can be tough, but is very important. Something as simple as taking a multivitamin daily can make a difference in your pregnancy. Beyond that, eating plenty of fruits and vegetables for nutrients, having a balanced diets that’s low in fat, and doing regular physical activity can all improve your chances of a healthy pregnancy.

Talk to your healthcare provider – This is a good one to pair with your first step of planning ahead. Above conducting your own research online, schedule an appointment with your doctor to learn what he or she believes next steps should be toward a healthier lifestyle and in turn, a healthier pregnancy.

Following these PACT suggestions can help a pregnant mother prevent birth defects. However, keep in mind that a birth defect is very different from a birth injury. A birth defect is a health condition that forms while your baby is still in the womb. A birth injury occurs when the mother is in labor in the process of delivery.

If you believe your child has been injured due to an avoidable medical error before, during or after the birth resulting in additional medical procedures or possibly a lifetime of limitations, give our expert Phoenix medical malpractice attorneys a call. Not all injuries are the result of medical malpractice, but we offer a complimentary case analysis and consultation so we can sit down together, hear your story and determine whether you have a case. Legal time limits do apply, so protect your child’s interests and call today, 480-991-7677.