Today (12th) is National Birth Defects Prevention Day, and the theme set by the National Health Commission is "Technology Empowers Birth Defects Prevention and Treatment Services".
my country is a country with a high incidence of birth defects, with the incidence rate being around 5% to 6%. Over the years, through comprehensive prevention and treatment, the incidence of serious birth defects such as neural tube defects and Down syndrome has been significantly reduced. However, due to factors such as the general postponement of childbearing age and the increase in the incidence of chronic diseases, the disease spectrum of birth defects has undergone some new changes and has become a new focus of current prevention and control.
Severe birth defects are declining in my country
Disease spectrum shows new changes
Birth defects refer to abnormalities in body structure, function or metabolism that occur before a baby is born. There are currently more than 8,000 known birth defects. The vast majority of rare diseases are caused by birth defects. They are an important cause of neonatal death, child disability, and long-term developmental disorders.
You Yanqin, director of the Obstetrics Department of the First Medical Center of the People's Liberation Army General Hospital, said that the current spectrum of birth defects has undergone subtle changes compared with the past. In the past, abnormal chromosome numbers and neural tube defects were more common. Nowadays, with the standardized administration of folic acid before and during pregnancy and the popularization of early pregnancy screening, the incidence of serious chromosomal abnormalities has decreased.
However, with the current postponement of childbearing age, the incidence of multi-factor complex high-risk genetic diseases such as chromosomal abnormalities is on the rise, which has now become a new feature in the prevention and control of birth defects. Especially for patients with some chronic diseases, such as diabetes or obesity, the risk of fetal congenital heart disease is increased compared with the general population.
Both parents are healthy
Will the child definitely not have birth defects?
"If parents are healthy, their children will definitely not have birth defects." This idea makes some people ignore premarital examinations, pre-pregnancy, and mid-pregnancy screening. Experts warn that this is one of the main misunderstandings in birth defect prevention.
Wei Yuan, director of the obstetrics department at Peking University Third Hospital, said that in fact, everyone carries some genes that may cause disease. The diseases corresponding to these genes are called recessive genetic diseases, and the carriers themselves do not develop the disease. If both spouses happen to carry the same disease and the same disease-causing gene at the same site, the child will develop the disease by coincidence.
Birth defects are not only related to genetics
In addition to family inheritance and genes, birth defects are actually closely related to environmental factors. Genetic factors only account for about 25%, environmental factors account for about 10%, and the interaction between environmental factors and genetic factors accounts for about 65%. In other words, most birth defects are interventionable and preventable.
Fetal development is affected by multiple external factors during pregnancy. Inadvertent viral infection, drug misuse, radiation exposure, staying up late for a long time, excessive mental stress, lack of nutrients, etc. during pregnancy may interfere with the normal development of the fetus. Pregnancy screening is indispensable. So if all prenatal check-ups are done, all birth defects can be detected?
Wei Yuan, director of the obstetrics department of Peking University Third Hospital, said that prenatal examinations can only complete relevant diagnoses as much as possible, but cannot diagnose all birth defects. Currently, screening and diagnosis of common diseases during pregnancy can cover more than 90% of birth defects, but there are still many rare diseases that cannot be diagnosed prenatally.
Experts remind that key prenatal check-up items are absolutely indispensable, but if you are worried about birth defects, frequent or unnecessary check-ups may be counterproductive. This will not only increase the psychological pressure and financial burden on pregnant women, but may even lead to unnecessary medical intervention.
Preventing birth defects is key
The harm of most birth defects can be effectively reduced through scientific intervention throughout the pre-pregnancy, pregnancy, and postpartum processes. In addition to these necessary interventions, there are also some key practices.
Wei Yuan, director of the obstetrics department of Peking University Third Hospital, reminded that it is very important to have children at the right age. At this time, the body is in a relatively good condition, and 25 to 35 years old is a good range.
In addition, you need to develop a healthy lifestyle while preparing for pregnancy:
Both husband and wife need to quit smoking and drinking, stay away from staying up late, avoid drug abuse, and stay away from harmful environments such as formaldehyde, heavy metals, and radiation.
Women should supplement folic acid in advance to effectively prevent fetal neural tube defects, which is a very cost-effective basic prevention and control measure.
Get vaccinated against rubella, hepatitis B and other vaccines in advance.
For those who are at high risk of getting pregnant at an advanced age, have a family history of genetic diseases, or have a history of adverse pregnancy and childbirth, they need to consult with a prenatal diagnosis specialist in advance to develop a personalized pregnancy preparation plan.
