Pregnancy is usually a joyful time in a woman’s life but one that is not without challenges or difficulties. Birth defects could include congenital defects or birth injuries. It may not be possible to prevent all kinds of birth defects, but you can still take certain preventative measures to ensure your child’s health. As an expectant parent, you should know that birth injuries aren’t natural defects. They usually occur during delivery due to prolonged labor or using instruments such as forceps.
It is possible to avoid birth injuries by managing health conditions, adopting healthy habits, and delivering the child via normal labor or a cesarean section, depending on the mother’s health and other factors.
Following are some measures that mothers can take to lower the risks of birth defects:
- Plan the birth:
Whether you want to give birth through natural labor or a c-section is a personal choice. However, there are pros and cons to both, and certain health conditions may determine which method of delivery will be better for you. If the baby’s weight is more than eleven pounds or if the mother’s pelvis has a shape that is not conducive to normal labor, a c-section is often recommended.
Birth injuries are most commonly due to the natural forces of labor and delivery, as pressure is exerted on the fetus as it moves along the birth canal. Birth injuries can lead to conditions like the collection of blood under the skull, known as cephalhematoma, or injury to the major nerve plexus of the hand and arm, known as brachial plexus, leading to Erb’s or Klumpke’s palsy. If you suspect your child has suffered a birth injury due to medical malpractice, you should speak to an experienced lawyer on how to get legal help in this situation.
Previously, doctors would perform difficult deliveries by pulling the fetus out using forceps. However, using forceps to pull a baby’s head out had a high risk of causing birth injury. Now, forceps are used only in the final stages of delivery and rarely cause injury.
- Regular antenatal visits:
It is important for a pregnant woman to visit her obstetrician regularly. Your doctor can regularly monitor your pregnancy. Blood tests and ultrasound scans are done during these visits, which provide information about fetal well-being.
These visits are also an opportunity for you to discuss your concerns regarding the pregnancy, any health conditions you might have, and their effect on the pregnancy.
- Start taking supplements:
Once your pregnancy is confirmed, start taking 400 micrograms of folic acid regularly to avoid birth defects such as neural tube defects. Neural tube defects refer to a group of conditions that lead to the maldevelopment of the spinal cord. These include anencephaly and spina bifida. You should also take multivitamins regularly if you’re planning on conceiving to fulfill your nutritional requirements.
- Healthy diet:
The importance of a healthy diet for the developing fetus and the mother cannot be overstated. It is normally advised to increase the caloric intake by 300 calories after pregnancy. However, this number may vary. Getting a good amount of protein in your diet and taking carbohydrates to maintain energy is important. Dairy and fiber should also be a part of the diet. Fruits and vegetables are also good sources of vitamins and micronutrients. In most healthy pregnancies, it is normal for women to gain 25 to 35 pounds.
- Physical Activity:
A proper exercise routine can be one of the best ways to stay healthy and feel physically better during pregnancy. Most women fear that moving too much during pregnancy and performing physical activity might harm the developing fetus. However, that is completely untrue.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends that pregnant women engage in approximately 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity every week. This could include any activity they enjoy, like walking, swimming, yin yoga, pilates, or stationary bicycling.
If you suffer from any health condition, such as ischemic heart disease, asthma, or type 1 diabetes mellitus, you should discuss this with your doctor first.
Exercising during pregnancy has been known to reduce swelling, backaches, bloating, and constipation. It has also been found that regular exercise reduces stress and the risk of developing conditions like eclampsia and gestational diabetes mellitus and builds up stamina for labor.
- Vaccination:
Vaccines help protect the mother and the developing baby from several serious diseases. At your antenatal visits, your doctor should give you a schedule for your vaccinations. These vaccinations include the annual flu shot, which can also be taken before pregnancy. Vaccines for whooping cough should be taken in the last three months (also known as the last trimester) of pregnancy. Depending on which region of the world you live in, your doctor might also advise you to get a shot for tetanus toxoid. Your doctor might also review your previous vaccination history to see if you need to get any boosters.
- Avoid harmful substances:
It is very important to avoid any harmful substances during your pregnancy. This includes avoiding alcohol, quitting smoking, and stopping medications that may harm the child.
Several health conditions can occur due to alcohol consumption during pregnancy, known as fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs). There is no safe amount of alcohol to use during pregnancy; therefore, it is recommended to avoid drinking completely. Smoking is also very harmful; it can lead to several birth defects. These include congenital heart diseases and developmental abnormalities like cleft lip and cleft palate.
If you suffer from any health conditions for which you take any medications, speak to your gynecologist so that any teratogenic medications can be replaced with safer alternatives.
Conclusion:
Pregnancy can be one of the most blissful yet challenging times in a woman’s life. However, the entire process can be made less daunting if women have more knowledge regarding their pregnancy and delivery process. It is important for women to be well-informed about potential birth defects and how to prevent them. By following the health tips mentioned above, expectant mothers can ensure their and their baby’s health.
