Birth defects are irregularities or imperfections in the physical or internal structure of a newborn. While it may be impossible to prevent all birth defects, many abnormalities in infants can be traced back to their mothers’ lack of prenatal care. A healthy pregnancy and delivery require the mother’s undivided attention and care.
According to the Medicalnewstoday, if you want to give your unborn child the best chance of developing normally, you should prioritize a healthy lifestyle and avoid the activities mentioned below during pregnancy.
1) Not thinking things through; some pregnant women do not make prenatal plans. All pregnant women should take 400 mcg of folic acid daily. Failure to comply greatly increases the risk of serious birth defects affecting your child’s brain or spinal cord.
2. Ignoring the recommendations of trained medical professionals; pregnant women who engage in the risky practice of ignoring appropriate medical advice while they are carrying a child have an increased likelihood of giving birth to children who have congenital defects. You should start prenatal care as soon as you have any reason to suspect you might be pregnant, and keep up with your regular hospital visits all the way through your pregnancy.
3. Using potentially harmful substances during pregnancy or drinking alcohol while pregnant can create physical, behavioral, and intellectual deficits in the unborn child, all of which have the potential to last throughout the person’s whole lifetime. A mother’s risk of having a child with a birth defect like cleft lip or cleft palate increases, and the infant’s risk of death increases, when she smokes during pregnancy. Marijuana use during pregnancy has been associated with a higher rate of congenital malformations.
4. Failing to take proper precautions to avoid or treat infections; certain diseases that a pregnant woman may catch may be harmful to the fetus developing inside her womb. Therefore, it is essential that women get frequent examinations and receive effective treatment for infections.
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