Birth Defects’ Common Causes Essay

Exclusively available on Available only on IvyPanda® Made by Human No AI

Unfortunately, to many parents, having a baby with a birth defect sounds like a life sentence that they did not deserve. While there is a certain stigma attached to children born with such defects, they are far more common than one may think. Moreover, while the specific causes are not yet well understood, certain steps can be taken by soon-to-be parents to increase the chances of a healthy child.

Birth defects are “structural changes” that can affect any body part of a newborn, impacting its appearance or functionality, or both (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention par. 3). The child’s health state and life depend not only on what body part is affected but also on how severely it is affected, as birth defects can range from mild to serious. Contrary to popular opinion, they are quite common. Globally, about six percent of all children (approximately eight million people) are born with some kind of a serious birth defect (Lobo and Zhaurova 1). In the United States, that is approximately 120,000 infants, or one in every thirty-three babies, affected each year (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention par. 2). Moreover, currently, birth defects account for about one-fifth of all newborn deaths, which makes them the leading cause of infant mortality in the United States (Marusinec par. 2).

It is highly difficult to diagnose and prevent birth defects since their cause is not known in as many as half of all cases (Lobo and Zhaurova 1). Typically, they are divided into two main subgroups: genetic causes and prenatal factors (meaning those that occur during the pregnancy). The genetic causes result from chromosomal abnormalities or single-gene defects (Lobo and Zhaurova 1). Simply put, chromosomal abnormalities develop at the time of conception.

They usually result in the death of the embryo or the baby soon after its birth. Otherwise, they cause the Down syndrome. Single-gene defects, on the other hand, are inherited from the baby’s parents, and it is typically easier to predict them. Interestingly, some defects are especially present in specific racial and ethnic groups. Yet even more frequently, birth defects are caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors (Marusinec par. 3).

The majority of medical specialists assign special importance to the infants’ prenatal environment. Certain behaviors and factors are a likely predictor of a birth defect. For instance, excessive alcohol drinking by a pregnant woman is very likely to cause the fetal alcohol syndrome affecting the baby’s major organs, appearance, and mental development (Lobo and Zhaurova 1). The use of other harmful substances like drugs and cigarettes can also affect the infant’s development and worsen any pre-existing genetic conditions (Marusinec par. 6). Other common risk factors include certain untreated medical conditions, especially sexually transmitted diseases, use of heavy medications, and older age of the mother (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention par. 7). While there is no straightforward causal relationship between these factors and birth defects, it is highly important that parents seek medical advice on the elimination of these and any other risk factors.

Understanding what causes birth defects is important for two reasons. Firstly, anyone who wants to become a parent one day can make the necessary lifestyle changes to eliminate the risk factors that may affect the health of their children. Secondly, since the causes are so poorly understood, further research into them should be supported to find solutions for their prevention or treatment.

Works Cited

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. n.d. . Web.

Lobo, Ingrid and Kira Zhaurova. “Birth Defects: Causes and Statistics.” Nature Education 1.1 (2008): 18. Print.

Marusinec, Laura E. 2015. . 2015. Web.

More related papers Related Essay Examples
Cite This paper
You're welcome to use this sample in your assignment. Be sure to cite it correctly

Reference

IvyPanda. (2020, May 10). Birth Defects' Common Causes. https://ivypanda.com/essays/birth-defects-common-causes/

Work Cited

"Birth Defects' Common Causes." IvyPanda, 10 May 2020, ivypanda.com/essays/birth-defects-common-causes/.

References

IvyPanda. (2020) 'Birth Defects' Common Causes'. 10 May.

References

IvyPanda. 2020. "Birth Defects' Common Causes." May 10, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/birth-defects-common-causes/.

1. IvyPanda. "Birth Defects' Common Causes." May 10, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/birth-defects-common-causes/.


Bibliography


IvyPanda. "Birth Defects' Common Causes." May 10, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/birth-defects-common-causes/.

If, for any reason, you believe that this content should not be published on our website, please request its removal.
Updated:
This academic paper example has been carefully picked, checked and refined by our editorial team.
No AI was involved: only quilified experts contributed.
You are free to use it for the following purposes:
  • To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
  • As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
  • As a template for you assignment
Privacy Settings

IvyPanda uses cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience, enabling functionalities such as:

  • Basic site functions
  • Ensuring secure, safe transactions
  • Secure account login
  • Remembering account, browser, and regional preferences
  • Remembering privacy and security settings
  • Analyzing site traffic and usage
  • Personalized search, content, and recommendations
  • Displaying relevant, targeted ads on and off IvyPanda

Please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy for detailed information.

Required Cookies & Technologies
Always active

Certain technologies we use are essential for critical functions such as security and site integrity, account authentication, security and privacy preferences, internal site usage and maintenance data, and ensuring the site operates correctly for browsing and transactions.

Site Customization

Cookies and similar technologies are used to enhance your experience by:

  • Remembering general and regional preferences
  • Personalizing content, search, recommendations, and offers

Some functions, such as personalized recommendations, account preferences, or localization, may not work correctly without these technologies. For more details, please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy.

Personalized Advertising

To enable personalized advertising (such as interest-based ads), we may share your data with our marketing and advertising partners using cookies and other technologies. These partners may have their own information collected about you. Turning off the personalized advertising setting won't stop you from seeing IvyPanda ads, but it may make the ads you see less relevant or more repetitive.

Personalized advertising may be considered a "sale" or "sharing" of the information under California and other state privacy laws, and you may have the right to opt out. Turning off personalized advertising allows you to exercise your right to opt out. Learn more in IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy.

1 / 1