Certain birth defects and cases of premature birth/low birthweight may be avoided by managing risk factors before pregnancy, the March of Dimes said.

“More than half of all pregnancies are unintended, making it crucial that women of childbearing age discuss reproductive health with their doctor at every opportunity,” said Janis Biermann, senior vice president of Education and Health Promotion for the March of Dimes. “The New Year will be full of surprises.  So even if you're not pregnant, but want children in the future, resolve to help give them a healthy start in life.”

Here are some other New Year's resolutions to give babies a healthy start.

• Take a multivitamin containing 400 micrograms of folic acid every day before conception and eat a diet high in folic acid including: enriched grain products, such as bread and pasta; fortified cereals; beans; green leafy vegetables; and orange juice. Folic acid reduces the chance of brain and spinal cord defects called neural tube defects. NTDs, such as spina bifida and anencephaly, occur in the first weeks after conception, often before a woman knows she's pregnant.
• Don't smoke and avoid second hand smoke. Smoking increases the risk of premature birth.
• Don't use alcohol or illegal drugs. They can cause lifelong health problems for the baby.
• Check with your doctor before taking any medication, including herbal products, and especially acne medications with isotretinoin, (Accutane, etc.), which can cause birth defects.
• Maintain a healthy weight. Being very overweight or underweight can increase the risk of prematurity and birth defects.
• Be Food Smart.  Avoid fish high in mercury, raw and undercooked meat and unpasteurized juice and dairy products and reduce caffeine.

About 150,000 babies are born annually with a birth defect and 20 percent of infant deaths are caused by birth defects, the National Center for Health Statistics estimates.

The March of Dimes is a national voluntary health agency whose mission is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. For more information, visit the March of Dimes Web site at marchofdimes.com or its Spanish language Web site at nacersano.org.