Birth Defects

A birth defect is a mental or physical problem that results in an error in the way bone, brain, skin or tissue developed. A disorder may or may not be inherited, ie. passed from parent to child through genes and chromosomes.

Follow the links below to find information about birth defects, including cleft lip and palate, spina bifida, congenital heart defects and syndromes.

For individual disorders and syndromes, follow the links to the specific topic pages below.

Updated March 2011

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56 Resources Found

Results 1 to 20 displayed. 1 2 3

Title:	Screening tests for neural tube defects
Publisher:	Child and Youth Health - CYH (South Australia)
Description:	Tests can be done to work out the chance that your baby has a neural tube defect (eg spina bifida).
Date:	Nov 2011

Title:	Amniocentesis
Publisher:	Better Health Channel
Description:	Amniocentesis is a test that may be done during pregnancy to check for foetal abnormalities (birth defects) such as Down syndrome, cystic fibrosis or spina bifida. A thin needle is used to take a small amount of amniotic fluid from the sac in the uterus surrounding a foetus. Possible risks include infection, injury to the baby or miscarriage.
Date:	Oct 2011

Title:	Tongue-tie
Publisher:	Better Health Channel
Description:	Tongue-tie is caused by a short frenum (string of tissue) that restricts tongue movement. Many babies with tongue-tie are breast and bottle fed successfully, but a tight tongue-tie can interfere with a baby's ability to breastfeed and, in some cases, bottle feed. The medical name for tongue-tie is ankyloglossia.
Date:	Oct 2011

Title:	Slow transit constipation
Publisher:	Better Health Channel
Description:	Slow transit constipation (STC) typically involves the unusually slow passage of waste through the large intestine. This can lead to problems such as constipation and uncontrollable soiling. STC may mimic or coincide with Hirschsprung's disease. Treatment options include electrical stimulation, laxatives and surgery. This condition used to be called Neuronal intestinal dysplasia (NID).
Date:	Oct 2011

Title:	Chorionic villus sampling (CVS)
Publisher:	Child and Youth Health - CYH (South Australia)
Description:	Chorionic villus sampling (CVS) is one of a number of tests that can be used to detect some birth defects in pregnancy.
Date:	Oct 2011

Title:	Prescribing medicines in pregnancy database
Publisher:	Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing
Description:	This database is intended to provide information to health professionals planning the medical management of pregnant patients or patients intending to become pregnant. It is not presented as medical advice to health professionals or the public.
Date:	Dec 2011

Title:	Birth defects - digestive tract
Publisher:	Better Health Channel
Description:	Birth defects of the digestive tract include oesophageal atresia (obstruction of the oesophagus) and imperforate anus (malformations of the anus). Most babies born with oesophageal atresia also have tracheo-oesophageal fistula, which means the trachea and oesophagus are connected.
Date:	Sep 2011

Title:	Birth defects - the abdomen
Publisher:	Better Health Channel
Description:	Birth defects of the abdomen include diaphragmatic hernia (organs protrude into the chest cavity), exomphalos (organs protrude through the navel) and gastroschisis (organs protrude through the abdominal wall).
Date:	Sep 2011

Title:	Birth defects - drugs and medications
Publisher:	Better Health Channel
Description:	Taking drugs while pregnant can be cause birth defects. Drugs such as alcohol, some illegal drugs like cocaine, and some prescription and over-the-counter medications including isotretinoin, vitamin A and some antibiotics are known to cause birth defects if taken during pregnancy. Drugs that can cause birth defects are called 'teratogens'.
Date:	Sep 2011

Title:	Could it harm my baby?
Publisher:	Child and Youth Health - CYH (South Australia)
Description:	Questions are often asked about possible effects of things like medicines, drugs, herbal products, hair dyes and insect sprays on an unborn baby.
Date:	Sep 2011

Title:	Breastfeeding - when babies won't feed
Publisher:	Child and Youth Health - CYH (South Australia)
Description:	Some new babies take a while to learn how to attach to the breast and feed effectively. Others feed well at first, then become fussy. These problems can be very distressing; seek help if these ideas do not help.
Date:	Dec 2011

Title:	Deafness - a range of causes
Publisher:	Better Health Channel
Description:	Deafness is caused by many different events, including injury, disease and genetic defects. One of the most common causes of deafness is exposure to loud noises. A deaf person may have mild to profound hearing loss. Temporary deafness has many causes, including wax in the ear, drugs or an infection. Tinnitus (ringing in the ear) may occur on its own, or in conjunction with hearing loss.
Date:	Jun 2011

Title:	Developmental hip dysplasia explained
Publisher:	Better Health Channel
Description:	Developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) means the hip joint of a newborn baby is dislocated or prone to dislocation. DDH is more common in girls than boys. Treatment includes a special harness (Pavlik harness), or operations and splints.
Date:	Jun 2011

Title:	Finding problems before your baby is born
Publisher:	Kidney Health Australia
Description:	Kidney and urinary tract problems in unborn babies
Date:	Jun 2011

Title:	Risk of invasive breast cancer in women exposed to diethylstilbestrol in utero: A review of the evidence - NBOCC* Position statement
Publisher:	Cancer Australia
Description:	NBOCC's position on risk of invasive breast cancer in women exposed to diethylstilbestrol in utero: A review of the evidence
Date:	Jun 2011

Title:	Teeth - gapped teeth
Publisher:	Better Health Channel
Description:	In many cases gapped front teeth in the upper jaw close by themselves. Fraenula are strings of tissue found underneath the tongue, inside the cheeks near the back molars, and under the top lip. The top lip fraenum can cause gapped teeth if it attaches too low on the gum. Whether or not an abnormal fraenum should be surgically removed is controversial.
Date:	May 2011

Title:	Syringomyelia
Publisher:	Better Health Channel
Description:	Syringomyelia is the formation of a fluid-filled cyst (syrinx) within the spinal cord. As the cyst grows, it presses on the spinal cord and interferes with the transmission of nerve impulses. Causes include trauma, infection and congenital brain defects.
Date:	May 2011

Title:	Australian categorisation system for prescribing medicines in pregnancy
Publisher:	Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing
Description:	The Australian categorisation system and database for prescribing medicines in pregnancy have been developed by medical and scientific experts based on available evidence of risks associated with taking particular medicines while pregnant
Date:	May 2011

Title:	Developmental dysplasia of the hip
Publisher:	Child and Youth Health - CYH (South Australia)
Description:	Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip (DDH) is the name used to describe a range of ways a baby's hip might not develop normally.
Date:	Mar 2011

Title:	Atrial Septal Defect (ASD, Ostium Secundum Defect)
Publisher:	Virtual Medical Centre.com
Description:	Atrial septal defect (ASD) is a congenital heart defect. In foetal circulation there is normally an opening between the two atria (the upper chambers of the heart) to allow blood to bypass the lungs. This opening usually closes about the time the baby is born. If the opening is persistent it is called an ASD, and thus blood continues to bypass the lungs. This is called a shunt.
Date:	Mar 2011

Results 1 to 20 displayed. 1 2 3

Birth Defects

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56 Resources Found