Birth Defects
Birth is a complex and wonderful process and fortunately, the birth outcome
for most women is a full-term and healthy baby. The fetus develops along
with organ systems during pregnancy. There are critical windows during
the development when environmental exposures could damage the fetal growth
and function. We know some risk factors, while others need more research.
For example, we know that smoking during pregnancy slows a baby's growth while
it is in the womb. In New Mexico we are tracking both birth/reproductive
outcomes and birth defects.
Birth defect is a problem that happens while the baby is developing in the mother's body.
Most birth defects happen during the first 3 months of pregnancy.
Birth defects are a large public health problem that affects over 120,000 children in America. About 1 (one) out of
every 33 babies is born with a birth defect. Birth defects are the leading causes of infant deaths. Babies born with
birth defects have a greater chance of illness and long term disability than babies without birth defects. Babies with
birth defects are also more likely to be born preterm (before the 37th week of pregnancy) than babies without birth defects.
Birth defects might be associated with a number of risk factors, such as those listed below.
- Advanced maternal age
- Smoking
- Alcohol consumption
- Medication use and use of retinoic acid
- Certain illnesses
- Stress
- Dietary or nutritional factors
- Maternal occupations, including hairdressing, agriculture, leather or shoe manufacturing
- Maternal exposure to chemicals, including pesticides, lead, aliphatic acids, organic solvents (such as xylene,
toluene, acetone, and petroleum solvents), chlorinated solvents (used in dry cleaning), and oxygenated organic solvents
(such as aliphatic alcohols, esters, ketones, and aliphatic aldehydes)
These chemicals are found in a wide range of domestic and industrial products.
There are many things you can do to help have a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby.
Plan your pregnancy.
- See your health care provider before getting pregnant.
- Get any medical condition (obesity, diabetes, seizures, etc.) under control before getting pregnant.
- Take a vitamin with 400 micrograms of folic acid daily before and during pregnancy.
Take care of yourself.
- Get plenty of rest.
- Exercise moderately.
- Eat a well-balanced diet.
- Avoid contact with chemicals and other things in the home and workplace that may harm an unborn baby.
- Avoid alcohol, tobacco, and street drugs.
- Talk with your health care provider before taking any over-the-counter drugs.
- Birth Defects: Prevalence of Anencephaly per 10,000 Live Births
- Birth Defects: Prevalence of Cleft Lip with or without Cleft Palate per 10,000 Live Births
- Birth Defects: Prevalence of Cleft Palate without Cleft Lip per 10,000 Live Births
- Birth Defects: Prevalence of Gastroschisis per 10,000 Live Births
- Birth Defects: Prevalence of Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome per 10,000 Live Births
- Birth Defects: Prevalence of Hypospadias per 10,000 Live Male Births
- Birth Defects: Prevalence of Lower Limb Deficiencies per 10,000 Live Births
- Birth Defects: Prevalence of Spina Bifida (without Anencephaly) per 10,000 Live Births
- Birth Defects: Prevalence of Tetralogy of Fallot per 10,000 Live Births
- Birth Defects: Prevalence of Transposition of the Great Arteries (Vessels) per 10,000 Live Births
- Birth Defects: Prevalence of Trisomy 21 (Down Syndrome) - Births to Mothers Under Age 35 per 10,000 Live Births
- Birth Defects: Prevalence of Trisomy 21 (Down Syndrome) - Births to Mothers Age 35 and Over per 10,000 Live Births
- Birth Defects: Prevalence of Upper Limb Deficiencies per 10,000 Live Births
- All Birth Defects: Crude Rates Per 10,000 Live Births
- Crude Rates of Anencephaly Per 10,000 Live Births
- Crude Rates of Spina Bifida (w/o anencephaly) Per 10,000 Live Births
- Crude Rates of Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome Per 10,000 Live Births
- Crude Rates of Tetralogy of Fallot Per 10,000 Live Births
- Crude Rates of Transposition of the Great Arteries (vessels) Per 10,000 Live Births
- Crude Rates of Cleft Lip with or without Cleft Palate Per 10,000 Live Births
- Crude Rates of Cleft Lip without Cleft Palate Per 10,000 Live Births
- Crude Rates of Cleft Lip with Cleft Palate Per 10,000 Live Births
- Crude Rates of Cleft palate without Cleft Lip Per 10,000 Live Births
- Crude Rates of Hypospadias Per 10,000 Live Births
- Crude Rates of Hypospadias (Males Only) Per 10,000 Live Births
- Crude Rates of Gastroschisis Per 10,000 Live Births
- Crude Rates of Limb Deficiencies Per 10,000 Live Births
- Crude Rates of Trisomy 21 (Down Syndrome) Per 10,000 Live Births
- Crude Rates of Trisomy 21 (Down Syndrome) Among Mother's Aged Less Than 35 Years Per 10,000 Live Births
- Crude Rates of Trisomy 21 (Down Syndrome) Among Mother's Aged 35 Years or More Per 10,000 Live Births
- Prevalence of Anencephaly Metadata File
- Prevalence of Cleft Lip Cleft Palate Metadata File
- Prevalence of Cleft Palate Metadata File
- Prevalence of Down Syndrome to Mothers 35 Years of age and Older at Delivery Metadata File
- Prevalence of Down Syndrome to Mothers less than 35 Years of age at Delivery Metadata File
- Prevalence of Gatroschisis Metadata File
- Prevalence of Hypoplastic Left Heart Metadata File
- Prevalence of Hypospadias Metadata File
- Prevalence of Lower Limb Metadata File
- Prevalence of Spina Bifida Metadata File
- Prevalence of Tetralogy Fallot Metadata File
- Prevalence of TGA Metadata File
- Prevalence of Upper Limb Metadata File