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Birth Defects, Prevention, and Your Baby
Learn more about common birth defects, such as congential heart defects, down syndrome, hypospadias, cleft lip and palate, club foot, spina bifida and others.
Prenatal Screening for Down Syndrome
Review some of the prenatal diagnostic tests that can be performed to determine the occurrence of Down syndrome.
Causes of Down Syndrome
Review some of the causes of Down syndrome, including advanced maternal age.
Club Foot Picture
Review a picture of a child with a club foot.
What does a genetic counselor do?
Learn what a genetic counselor can do for you.
What kind of health care provider can help find out what caused my baby's birth defect?
Review what kind of health care provider can help find out what caused my baby's birth defect.
When in pregnancy do birth defects happen?
Learn when in pregnancy most birth defects occur.
Does exposure to the MMR vaccine cause birth defects? Other vaccines?
Review if vaccines can cause birth defects.
Do illegal drugs cause birth defects?
Learn why women who use illegal drugs, or "street drugs," can have babies who are small, premature, or have other health problems, such as birth defects.
Does smoking cause birth defects?
Review which birth defects can be caused by smoking.
Do prescription drugs cause birth defects?
Review which prescription drugs can cause birth defects.
What causes birth defects?
Review the causes of birth defects and what you can do to have a better chance of having healthy child in the future.
Do genetic factors play a role in causing birth defects?
Review how genetic factors play a role in causing birth defects.
Does my risk for having a baby with a birth defect increase as I get older?
Review why women who are 35 years of age or older have a greater chance of having a baby with Down syndrome.
What is my chance of having a baby with a birth defect?
Review what your chances are of having a baby with a birth defect.
What are the most common birth defects?
Review what the most common birth defects are, including heart defects, neural tube defects, cleft lip, and hypospadias.
What is a birth defect?
Learn more about birth defects in this general review of what a birth defect is.
March of Dimes Fact Sheet
A quick reference guide with facts about birth defects and links to information about common defects, such as achondroplasia, cerebral palsy, chromosomal abnormalities, cleft lip and cleft palate, clubfoot, congenital heart defects, down syndrome, fragile x syndrome, genital and urinary tract defects, pku, rh disease, sickle cell disease, and spina bifida.
Birth Defects Facts
Get answers to common questions about birth defects, including what are the most common birth defects and your chances of having a baby with a birth defect.
