What steps can be taken during pregnancy to reduce the risk of birth defects in babies?

Answer 1

make sure you have plenty of fresh fruit and veg and a good balanced diet as always.
make sure you get enough folic acid especially in first 13wks as this helps lessen the change of spinia bifidia. cook all meat very well, wash all salads, fruit and veg properly, make sure any ready meals are piping hot, don't reheat food more than once, cover cooked food and store at top of fridge, raw at the bottom, wear rubber gloves when gardening or cleaning cats litter tray,
avoid:
soft boiled eggs or any food containing raw eggs or undercooked pates
liver and food made from liver like pate
unpasteurised soft cheeses like brie and camembert
blue cheeses
peanuts - if anyone in your family has an allergic condition like asthma,eczema or hay fever
swordfish, shark and marlin
limit tuna to 4 medium cans or 2 fresh steaks per week
raw shellfish
raw/undercooked meat and smoked only or cured meat like parma ham
undercooked ready meals
try to eat less sugary,fatty processed foods

Answer 2

Stop taking any drugs unless your doctor okays them ( but don't stop any prescription drugs without talking to your doctor first) start a good prenatal vitamin as soon as you decide to start trying or as soon as you find out ( before is better but it's not always an option) Read everything you can about having a healthy pregnancy and follow the guidlines.
Go get a book called " what to expect when you are expecting" by Heidi Murkoff. It's the pregnancy bible and will help with all these questions. Your question as well as many others that you would not expect is in there. It's excellent in describing all of these little things that worry moms and help distinguish when something is "normal" or not.
Good Luck!

Answer 3

One good thing to do is take folic acid for about a month prior to conception. So start taking it now. It's in all the pre-nates but if you don't want to take them you should at least take a folic acid supplement everyday. It reduces the risk of your baby having a hole in it's spine.

Answer 4

well some birth defects are inherited so you can;t do much about that but for those fluke defects that could occur, the best thing that you could do is eat right, don't smoke, don't do drugs, don't drink, remember to take your prenatal vitamins everyday, just take good care of yourself and don't expose yourself to anything that is harmful to you and to the baby.

Answer 5

Folic acid in the early weeks of pregnancy
don't smoke
don't drink
always check with you doctor when you need to take any meds
pray (many birth defects are unpreventable)

Answer 6

How lots wine became right into a "little wine"? Why do you think of he has this illness as a results of fact of that? I even have been pregnant 7 (additionally 4 miscarriages) situations and none of my practioners during the years has banned alcohol one hundred% of the time. in certainty, it is totally secure to have a drink alongside with nutrients each and every each and every now and then (which skill as quickly as a week or much less). Fetal alcohol syndrome effects from mothers who're heavy drinkers - 3 or extra drinks, 7 days a week. thank you for the suggestion. notwithstanding, i'd seek for a 2nd opinion while you're being advised that this illness handed off as a consequence of ingesting "a splash wine". **** EDIT **** I comprehend that what i'm announcing would "sound" contraversial or something, yet you unquestionably would desire to renowned your stuff to renowned that what i'm announcing is genuine. I even have been pregnant 11 situations and that i've got examine very almost each and every being pregnant e book available. I even have been to a lot of diverse practioners. a trouble-free source which you would be able to seek for suggestion from pertaining to to ingesting throughout being pregnant is, "what to assume once you assume". maximum pregnant women persons own this e book because it is asserted the "being pregnant Bible". or purely ask your OB or midwife. or purely learn it. Alcohol is likewise very trouble-free in tinctures for pregnant women persons. once you hear somebody or some source say, "it relatively is no longer secure to drink throughout being pregnant"..... that purely "sounds" good. Heavy to reasonable ingesting is volatile for the two toddler and mommy, no longer occasional ingesting. in certainty, the e book above mentions that the "protection zone" is below 7 drinks each and every week! i'm no longer a drinker. notwithstanding, data are data. i'm purely pointing out a certainty. i do no longer desire somebody examining this submit thinking that ingesting is one hundred% off limits throughout being pregnant and that an occasional drink will injury their coming up fetus. it is purely purely no longer the case.

Answer 7

TAKE YOUR VITAMINS!!!!!i know a lot of people and none took their prenanal vitamins and most breast fed their children they are always sick and at the doctor and most have asthma and/or allergies...i always took my vitamins laid on my left side(promotes blood/nutrient flow to the baby)and only breast fed for 2wks then switched to formula(new tech.makes formula just as good if not better than the breast as for some reason women dont seem to be producing enough nutrients) my son has only been sick 2 times in his almost 3yrs of life and his doctors have said he is abnormally healthy....during preg. he was always about 1mo. bigger than he shouldve been and weighed 7lbs 6oz being born 2wks early(they say they gain about 1lb a week for the last couple of weeks)......oh, ya DONT eat very much tuna or well fish in general it can cause a mercury overdose in the baby and possibly autism

Answer 8

You should start before you become pregnant by making sure you are getting folic acid in your diet either by eatting vegatables or taking a multivitamin. Don't drink and don't take medications that you haven't discussed with your OB.

Answer 9

Make sure to get regular prenatal care. Don't smoke, drink or do drugs. Take your prenatal vitamin and stay away from harmful chemicals.

Basically, use common sense.

Answer 10

LISTEN to your body/cravings-not other peoples bollocxx.....don't eat stuff you can't stand the thought of!
My mama craved ice with me and it's meant to help you absorb iron!
You DO need folic acid b4 and 3 months after conception..B vits important. Also have baby younger..