What Are the Ways to Prevent Birth Defects?

Birth defects can range in severity and seriously impact the life of your child, but not all birth defects are preventable. In this month’s series of blog posts so far, we’ve covered different types of birth defects, their causes and their treatments. But what can you do to help protect your child and prevent them from developing birth defects?

Stop drinking

If you know you’re pregnant or are planning to become pregnant, avoid drinking alcohol as it is known to cause birth defects.

Stop smoking

It’s important to maintain a healthy body, and so you shouldn’t smoke whilst pregnant – no matter how much you might want to – as it can create complications further down the line.

Don’t take illegal substances

Any illegal substance is likely to have a negative effect on your unborn child, so it’s important not to take any illegal drugs whilst pregnant. In some severe cases, babies are born with a dependency on the drug that their mother took whilst pregnant.

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Check your medication

Some over the counter and prescribed medication can have harmful effects on the development of your child, so speak to your doctor or pharmacist before taking anything. If you’re on long-term medication then your doctor will be able to advise the best course of action to protect both you and baby.

Avoid toxins

Harmful chemicals and toxins such as dyes can cause severe birth defects, this includes everyday solvents such as petrol and household cleaning products.

Take folic acid

Folic acid is a great source for mums-to-be and can help with the nerve development of your baby, which will also help to prevent nerve-based defects such as spina bifida.

Exercise more

If you already have an active lifestyle, then that’s great, but if not then it’s worth exercising more and staying healthy. Speak to your doctor about which exercises and sports you can and can’t do. And maybe think about getting into a routine.

Change your diet

Similarly to being more active, eating a healthier, well-balanced diet is also important in the prevention of birth defects and will help to ensure your baby has all the vitamins and minerals they need to develop correctly.

Reduce your caffeine intake

Many people drink a large amount of caffeine per day and although this isn’t like to have a direct effect on your baby and whether they’ll suffer from any birth defects, doctors will advise that you reduce your caffeine intake whilst pregnant and instead opt for a healthier option.

Drink more water

This often means drinking more water. It’s vital that mums-to-be remain hydrated at all times. As the body changes and your baby grows, your body is going to need to stay hydrated to cope with this, and it can easy to become dehydrated if you’re not keeping on top of it.

Visit your doctor regularly

Regular check ups with your doctor are incredibly important and will also allow them to monitor the health of you and your baby.

Resources:
https://www.wikihow.com/Prevent-Birth-Defects
http://americanpregnancy.org/birth-defects/community-birth-defects-prevention/