Preventing Birth Defects

Not all birth defects can be prevented. However, there are certain steps a mother can take before and during pregnancy to increase her chances of having a healthy baby. Prior to pregnancy, vitamins should be taken and active living and healthy eating should be part of a woman’s lifestyle. In addition, an expectant mother should make sure her diabetes is well-managed if she has the condition and she should also make sure that she is at a healthy weight before becoming pregnant. It is a good idea for a woman to talk to her physician about pre-existing health issues prior to getting pregnant.

Good prenatal care, which is health care received during pregnancy, can help find some problems early in pregnancy so they can be monitored and properly managed before birth. Other steps a woman can take to help ensure her baby is healthy include the following:

• Consume 400 micrograms (MCG) of folic acid every day, beginning at least one month before getting pregnant.
• Don’t drink alcohol or use illicit drugs, and talk to the physician about any prescription or over the counter medications being considered.
• Learn how to prevent infections during pregnancy and speak to the physician about common infections that can be very harmful to a baby.
• Make sure immunizations are current prior to getting pregnant.
• Vaccinations for certain diseases, such as chicken pox and rubella, are very important because they can harm the developing baby.
• Talk to the physician about environmental factors and medications that can harm the unborn baby.

If your loved one was diagnosed with cerebral palsy, HIE, or another birth injury that you believe stemmed from medical malpractice, we encourage you to reach out for a free legal consultation today. The Detroit, Michigan birth injury attorneys at ABC Law Centers practice nationwide and exclusively take cases related to birth injury, and our legal team has the skills, knowledge, and experience necessary to win complicated birth injury cases.