Birth Defects

Birth defects are the main cause of infant mortality in the U.S., responsible for 20 percent of deaths. For children who survive, birth defects often cause life-long handicaps. Many birth defects are caused by exposure to environmental health hazards, and many are preventable.

Any environmental exposures that cause damage to the sperm or that expose the growing child in utero to toxins can cause birth defects and/or premature or low-weight birth which can lead to postnatal damage. Exposure to a numbers of environmental health hazards during pregnancy have been associated with birth defects, low weight babies, premature birth or an increased risk of miscarriage. These include:

cigarette smoke;
alcohol consumption;
recreational drug use;
use of prescription drugs (check with your doctor to weigh the risks and benefits);
various chemicals including solvents, paint, dry cleaning chemicals, and pesticides; and
various heavy metals, especially lead, cadmium, and mercury.

For more information, visit the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' website, Birth Defects and Adverse Birth Outcomes. Alcohol is one of the main causes of birth defects in America. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) occurs when pregnant mothers consume large quantities of alcohol. Children born with FAS have a distinct pattern of facial abnormalities, growth deficiency and mental retardation. Research has shown that even one episode of alcohol intoxication during pregnancy can cause permanent brain damage to the fetus.

Exposure to environmental hazards, such as industrial strength chemicals and pesticides, in the workplace has been associated with an increased risk of birth defects and spontaneous abortion. Recently, several studies have suggested that living in a highly polluted area, such as near a heavily traveled freeway, can lead to birth defects or low-weight babies (Ritz, 2002).

Good nutrition promotes a fetus’s health, and helps to prevent damage from toxins. In particular, sufficient levels of folic acid (a B vitamin) during pregnancy have been shown to significantly reduce the number of neural tube birth defects such as anencephaly (lack of brain development) and spina bifida (failure of the spinal cord and spinal column to close properly). Visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website on folic acid for more information.