How To Recognise Early Symptoms Of Birth Defects In Newborns? Know From Gynecologist

Recognising birth defects is crucial, particularly among newborns. Early detection enables timely medical intervention while improving outcomes and quality of life. Birth defects can range from minor physical abnormalities to life-threatening conditions such as heart defects or neural tube defects. Prompt identification allows parents to access necessary resources, support and treatment, ultimately enhancing the child's prospects for a healthy and fulfilling life.

In a conversation with Jagran English,  Dr. Yashica Gudesar - Director & Unit Head - Obs & Gynaecology, Max Super Speciality Hospital, Dwarka explained the ways to recognise early symptoms of birth defects in newborns.

How To Identify Birth Defects In Newborns?

Around 27,000,000 babies are diagnosed with birth defects every year. Both defects are preventable and if detected during pregnancy or before pregnancy. Parents can be even tested before they have started planning the pregnancy. So periconceptional counselling is very important in families in which there are more chances of birth defects or previous babies having birth defects.

Then, if they have panned the pregnancy and during pregnancy, the first-trimester NTNB scan which is done at 11-13 weeks and the double marker if required, NIPG and new and CVS depending on the ultrasound findings, the birth defect can be diagnosed and if required, if the defect is endangering to the life the pregnancy can be terminated.

These defects happen because of various reasons. Some are idiopathic or there is no reason for it but the others are because of environmental factors. Indigenous maternal drug effects, genetic disease, the pollutants in our foods and a holistic approach should be there to diagnose them in the antenatal period. Patients with the changing scenario. Now all the investigations should be done as soon as possible in the early part of pregnancy and not in the later, part of pregnancy.

The doctor said we can prevent the babies who have defects from going forward beyond the 20th week of pregnancy and we can terminate them as soon as possible. This is the part of love termination. But if you direct it beforehand, if you are aware we give folic acid to the mother throughout the first trimester of pregnancy to prevent birth defects. That is only the proven medicine which shows that birth defects can be prevented by using folic acid.

 In level 2, ultrasound and NTNB should be done by a qualified radiologist or a fatal medicine specialist to pick the earliest sign of birth defect by blood test and ultrasound booth.

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