How to prevent birth defects before and during pregnancy

This is an automatically translated article.

The article was professionally consulted by Specialist Doctor I Le Hong Lien - Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology - Vinmec Central Park International General Hospital.

1. What are fetal malformations?

Abnormalities of the baby during the fetal period are called fetal anomalies. Including malformations of the nervous system, head, face, abdomen and skeletal system, extremities. Some fetal anomalies include:
Fetal neural tube defects Down syndrome Skeletal defects (clums, crooked limbs) Cleft lip and cleft palate Congenital heart defects Anal defects Spinal defects living

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2. How to prevent birth defects before pregnancy

2.1 Genetic assessment If your spouse's family has a history of genetic defects, prenatal genetic diagnostic testing will partly determine the risk of birth defects, test results will help doctors advise about the risk of malformations to provide solutions for pregnancy and childbirth.
There are two types of genetic testing: prenatal screening and prenatal diagnostic testing. In particular, the non-invasive prenatal screening technique NIPT is considered the "key" to decipher fetal malformations, bringing outstanding improvement in the results of prenatal screening.
With the outstanding advantage of being non-invasive, completely harmless to the fetus and can be performed as early as 8 weeks onwards, NIPT is recommended for high-risk subjects and performed regularly. regulated at Vinmec.
2.2 Medical examination before conception The mother during pregnancy if suffering from certain diseases such as diabetes, nephritis, infectious diseases, obesity or neurological problems will directly affect the fetus pediatric.
Women before pregnancy should have a general medical examination, if there is a disease affecting the fetus, it can be treated before pregnancy or reported to the doctor for monitoring during pregnancy. Currently, Vinmec International General Hospital has a pre-pregnancy check-up package including: examination, ultrasound, comprehensive mother's test before pregnancy.
2.3 Taking folic acid supplements early Folic acid can reduce the rate of genetic mutations that lead to malformations. Therefore, women before becoming pregnant should take folic acid supplements three months before.
Defects caused by genetic mutations often occur very early in pregnancy, often before the pregnant woman knows she is pregnant. Folic acid can be supplemented by oral medication or from natural foods such as cauliflower, sunflower seeds, beans, avocados, eggs, asparagus...

2.4 Vaccination before pregnancy Vaccination before pregnancy is now gradually becoming a trend chosen by many families. Vaccination helps pregnant women avoid serious diseases that affect the fetus.
Pre-pregnancy vaccines include: flu vaccine; Hepatitis B , Chickenpox and Measles - Mumps - Rubella ... Should be vaccinated before pregnancy from 3-6 months.

3. How to prevent birth defects during pregnancy

3.1 Stay away from stimulants Alcohol is an addictive stimulant and has adverse health effects if used in excess. Pregnant women should absolutely not drink alcohol during pregnancy because it will directly affect the fetus in the abdomen.
Drinking alcohol will reduce the circulation of blood from mother to baby, so nutrients and oxygen through the fetus will be impaired, increasing the possibility of fetal malformations.
Pregnant women should be isolated from tobacco (active and passive) because tobacco will adversely affect the lungs and brain of the fetus
3.2 Avoid exposure to toxins from the environment Pregnant women should avoid these areas with many harmful chemicals, including household cleaning chemicals. If pregnant women work in an environment with many toxic substances, they should use protective gear such as gloves, masks, respirators to protect themselves.
Pregnant women should stay away from dogs, cats and other pets because they often have disease-causing bacteria on their bodies.

3.3 Eat healthy A healthy and reasonable diet is always the best way to have a healthy pregnancy. Pregnant women should add more foods with many good nutrients for the fetus and should limit eating processed foods.
Should supplement the vitamins necessary for the development of the fetus such as B9, iron, calcium, DHA through food sources. Pregnant women should also maintain an ideal weight and a healthy lifestyle.
3.4 Routine antenatal checkups Periodic antenatal checkups help pregnant women understand the situation of the fetus as well as detect birth defects if any. From there, the doctor will suggest ways to handle if the fetus is found to have a birth defect. Currently, fetal ultrasound also helps in early detection of fetal malformations. In addition, pregnant women should also take medicine as prescribed by a doctor during pregnancy, avoiding indiscriminate use of drugs that harm the fetus.
In order to prevent birth defects during pregnancy, right before pregnancy and during pregnancy, pregnant women need to strictly follow the schedule of examination and pregnancy monitoring that the doctor has given. In addition, it is necessary to carry out the necessary screening and diagnosis during pregnancy to help detect birth defects early in the fetal stage. This has great significance in early intervention in the fetus or early treatment after birth, helping children develop normally.
Birth defects are one of the genetic diseases that can be screened early from the 8th week with the outstanding advantage of being non-invasive and completely harmless to the fetus.
At Vinmec International General Hospital, NIPT non-invasive prenatal screening techniques are fully complied with the strict recommended standards of ILLUMINA. Analytical results will be available in about 1-2 weeks and will be evaluated by genetic experts at the Institute of Stem Cell and Gene Technology. Customers will be consulted specifically about the risks by Fetal Medicine doctors with many years of experience about problems that may be encountered when performing NIPT test, especially for negative cases/ false positives for appropriate intervention.
In addition, Vinmec International General Hospital now offers a package maternity service as a solution to help pregnant women feel secure because of the companionship of the medical team throughout the pregnancy. When choosing Maternity Package, pregnant women can:
The pregnancy process is monitored by a team of qualified doctors Regular check-up, early detection of abnormalities Maternity package helps to facilitate the process. Childbirth program Newborns receive comprehensive care Specialist I Le Hong Lien has been an obstetrician-gynecologist at Vinmec Central Park International Hospital since November 2016. Doctor Lien has over 10 years of experience as a radiologist in the Department of Ultrasound at the leading hospital in the field of obstetrics and gynecology in the South - Tu Du Hospital.
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