What is the most common birth defect?

There are thousands of different birth defects. The most common are heart defects, cleft lip and palate, Down syndrome and spina bifida.

Are all birth defects genetic?

Birth defects are common and can be caused by many different genetic and environmental factors. The fact that the majority of birth defects are without known cause can be frustrating to both parents and healthcare providers.

Do other animals have disabilities?

Most veterinarians and animal psychologists agree that animals can indeed suffer from various mental disorders, though not in quite the same ways as humans. Perhaps this is why animals living in captivity seem to exhibit more compulsive behaviors than those in the wild.

How common are birth defects?

Every 4 1/2 minutes, a baby is born with a birth defect in the United States. Birth defects affect 1 in every 33 babies born in the United States each year. That translates into about 120,000 babies.

Do trisomy 13 babies suffer?

Patau’s syndrome (trisomy 13) is a rare condition, associated with high mortality, a range of congenital abnormalities, and severe physical and cognitive impairment. Many affected pregnancies will miscarry, and most babies born with the condition will not survive more than a few days or weeks.

Are birth defects common?

Birth defects are common, costly, and critical conditions that affect 1 in every 33 babies born in the United States each year. Read more about what we have learned about birth defects and how women can improve their chances of having a baby born without a birth defect.

Why are birth defects more common in older mothers?

This is because a woman’s eggs age as she ages. Older eggs are more prone to forming embryos with either too many or too few chromosomes. This is the reason why older women have a greater rate for infertility, miscarriages and babies with chromosomal birth defects.

What happens to animals born with birth defects?

Often, the baby with the birth defects will be eaten by the mother, or pushed out of the nest / den / lair and allowed to die. Few animals born with serious birth defects live to adulthood without human intervention, so you don’t see them. Unfortunately, yes, they do, so humans are not alone.

What happens to animals that are born with disabilities?

If the animal is weak, their mobility affected or albino, for example, the can be abandoned by the mother, shunned within their community, easily targeted by predators or just die from whatever defect they’ve been born with.

What percentage of babies are born with birth defects?

In the United States Birth defects affect one in every 33 babies (about 3\% of all babies) born in the United States each year. [Read article] Birth defects are the leading cause of infant deaths, accounting for 20\% of all infant deaths. [Read articleCdc-pdf]

Is a child with a birth defect still a child?

A child with a birth defect is still a child — no matter how serious his or her disability. We poor human beings, with our limited intelligence and vision, cannot even begin to perceive the intricacies of God’s plans for our own lives, let alone His intentions for a child who has not even been born yet.