Birth Defects

What are the most common birth defects?
Birth defects worry every pregnant woman. Are you wondering what the most common ones are and how to prevent them?

Prenatal Testing Basics
Ultrasound is done in the majority of pregnancies in the United States. The anomaly scan is the most common. Prenatal testing can be scary if you don't know what's going on. Here's a primer on prenatal testing from ultrasounds to amniocentesis and beyond.

You and Your Genes
A primer on genetics and how they play a part in your baby's chances of genetic disease. Also more great info on birth defects in general.

Tay-Sachs Disease
Tay-Sachs is a genetic diseaes that leads to death. Genetic testing can identify carriers before conception.

Nuchal Translucency Screening - Nuchal Fold Testing for Down Syndrome
Nuchal fold testing can be used early in pregnancy to help assess your risk for carrying a baby with Down Syndrome via a simple ultrasound.

Test for 6000 Genetic Diseases Discovered
When using in vitro fertilization (IVF), pre-implantation genetic haplotyping can find the healthy embryos and help prevent nearly 6000 genetic disease.

Do illegal drugs cause birth defects?
Learn why women who use illegal drugs, or "street drugs," can have babies who are small, premature, or have other health problems.

Birth Defects
1 in 33 babies in the United States is born with a birth defect. Here is some of the latest research from the March of Dimes.

Thyroid Disease & Birth Defects
According to research presented at the 2001 Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine's annual meeting, women with thyroid disease are at a higher risk of having birth defects.

When in pregnancy do birth defects occur?
Birth defects are most common in the early months of pregnancy but which defect depends on when in pregnancy and what type of defect it is.

Down Syndrome
How common is this birth defect and how Down Syndrome is discovered and cared for in pregnancy and beyond.

Miscarriage and Birth Defects
How birth defects effect the miscarriage rates by type of miscarriage.

Rare Diseases
A look at a variety of rare diseases including birth defects.