Health experts share recommendations to reduce chances of birth defects
LA CROSSE, Wis. (WKBT) January is National Birth Defects Prevention Month.
According to the CDC, birth defects happen in about 3 to 4 percent of pregnancies.
Experts say not all birth defects can be prevented but there are things pregnant women can do to increase the chances of having a healthy baby.
The CDC recommends taking a multivitamin before and during pregnancy, along with getting enough folic acid to decrease the chances of birth defects.
It’s also important to have a healthy diet, exercise, and stay away from drugs, cigarettes, and alcohol.
And one expert says a good relationship with medical providers makes a difference.
“We can prevent them, a lot of them before they happen, but that does mean a partnership between the provider, whether it be a midwife or doctor, and the family,” said Dennis Costakos, M.D., Neonatologist at Mayo Clinic Health System.
Women who plan to get pregnant should start taking these measures a few months beforehand, according to health experts.
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