January is Birth Defects Prevention Month
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., DEC. 22, 2005 - January is Birth Defects Prevention Month and some premature births and birth defects may be avoided with a healthy lifestyle before and during pregnancy. The March of Dimes recommends seven New Year's resolutions to help give babies a healthy start.
- Take a multivitamin containing 400 micrograms of folic acid daily prior to conception to help reduce the chance of a birth defect of the brain or spine called neural tube defects. NTDs, such as spina bifida and anencephaly, occur in the first few weeks after conception, often before a woman knows she's pregnant.
- Stop smoking and avoid second hand smoke. Smoking may make it harder to get pregnant and can increase the risk of premature birth.
- Stop using alcohol and illegal drugs . They can cause lifelong health problems.
- Check with your doctor before taking any medication, including herbal products.
- Maintain a healthy weight. Being very overweight or underweight can increase the risk of prematurity and birth defects.
- Get a preconception checkup and ask your doctor how you can help give a baby 9 months of pregnancy.
- Eat healthy –reduce caffeine, avoid fish high in mercury, raw and undercooked meat and unpasteurized juice and dairy products.
"You never know what the New Year will bring. So, even if you're not yet planning to have a baby, when you start the New Year, resolve to help give your baby a healthy start in life," said Dr. Jennifer L. Howse, president of the March of Dimes.
About 150,000 babies are born annually with a birth defect. Some 20 percent of infant deaths are caused by birth defects, the National Center for Health Statistics estimates.
