January is National Birth Defects Awareness Month

Written by Nancy Johnson, LPN Training and Special Projects Nurse

This January we embark on a nationwide effort to provide education and raise awareness about birth defects, their prevention, and how to support people living with these conditions. In the United States, 1 in 33 babies are born with a birth defect. Birth defects occur during the first three months of pregnancy when the baby’s organs and body structure are forming, making it the most important stage of fetal development. The most common birth defects include:

Not all birth defects are preventable, but pregnant women can lower their babies' risk by:

Resources

Baschat, A. A. (2021,November 11). Preventing and treating birth defects: What you need to know. Johns Hopkins Medicine. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/treatment-tests-and-therapies/preventing-and-treating-birth-defects-what-you-need-to-know

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024, March 16). Birth Defects Awareness Month. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/birth-defects/awareness-month/index.html

To learn more about Down Syndrome, please visit www.PCHC.org, or for general information about birth defects, please visit the Center for Disease Control at www.cdc.gov.

• Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
• Spina Bifida
• Chromosome Abnormalities (Down Syndrome, Edwards Syndrome, Patau Syndrome)
• Congenital heart conditions
• Cleft Lip/Cleft Palate

• Receiving prenatal care
• Staying up to date on vaccinations
• Taking Folic Acid daily
• Avoiding harmful substances (alcohol, nicotine, and illicit substances)