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 link to the specific topic below.

Reviewed January 2008

 

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Related HealthInsite Topics
Chromosome Defects
HealthInsite Topic Page
Links to information about chromosome defects, including Down Syndrome and Fragile X Syndrome.
Cleft Lip and Palate
HealthInsite Topic Page
Links to information on cleft lip and palate.
Congenital Heart Defects
HealthInsite Topic Page
Links to information about congenital heart defects.
Foetal Alcohol Syndrome
HealthInsite Topic Page
Links to information about foetal alcohol syndrome (FAS).
Marfan Syndrome
HealthInsite Topic Page
Links to information on Marfan Syndrome.
Spina Bifida
HealthInsite Topic Page
Links to information about spina bifida, which is a neural tube defect.
Urogenital Defects
HealthInsite Topic Page
Links to information about birth defects that effect the urinary and genital systems.
46 Resources Found
Results 1 to 20 displayed.
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Title:   Births in Victoria 2003-2004
Publisher:   Better Health Channel
Description:   The Victorian Perinatal Data Collection Unit (VPDCU) creates and maintains a database on perinatal (birth) outcomes and birth defects to improve the health of mothers and babies in Victoria.
Date:   Aug 2007
Title:   Ward reduction without general anaesthesia versus reduction and repair under general anaesthesia for gastroschisis in newborn infants
Publisher:   John Wiley and Sons, Ltd. for The Cochrane Collaboration
Description:   Newborn babies with gastroschisis are born with their gut hanging out of a hole in their belly. If the gut is not put back they could get sick from fluid and heat loss or part of the gut could die or they could get a life-threatening infection. Traditio...
Date:   Mar 2002
Title:   Tongue-tie
Publisher:   Better Health Channel
Description:   Tongue-tie is caused by a short frenum that restricts tongue movement. The frenum is a string of tissue found under the tongue. The medical name for tongue-tie is ankyloglossia.
Date:   Jul 2008
Title:   Teeth - gapped teeth
Publisher:   Better Health Channel
Description:   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.
Date:   May 2008
Title:   Maternal serum screening
Publisher:   Better Health Channel
Description:   The maternal serum screening test (MSS) is a blood test offered to pregnant women. The test helps to determine the risk of certain abnormalities that may affect the unborn child, including chromosomal abnormalities like Down syndrome and Edward syndrome, and neural tube defects such as spina bifida.
Date:   Mar 2008
Title:   Syringomyelia
Publisher:   Better Health Channel
Description:   Syringomyelia is the formation of a cyst in 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 (from birth) brain defects.
Date:   Jul 2008
Title:   Amniocentesis
Publisher:   Better Health Channel
Description:   Amniocentesis can detect foetal abnormalities such as Down's syndrome, cystic fibrosis or spina bifida. A small amount of amniotic fluid is withdrawn from the sac in the uterus surrounding a foetus. Possible risks include infection, injury to the baby or miscarriage.
Date:   May 2008
Title:   Neuronal intestinal dysplasia
Publisher:   Better Health Channel
Description:   Neuronal intestinal dysplasia (NID) is characterised by the unusually slow passage of waste through the large intestine, which leads to chronic problems such as constipation and uncontrollable soiling. The cause is abnormalities of nerves that service the large intestine.
Date:   Aug 2007
Title:   Deafness - a range of causes
Publisher:   Better Health Channel
Description:   Deafness can range from mild to profound and 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.
Date:   Oct 2007
Title:   Birth defects in Victoria 2003 to 2004
Publisher:   Better Health Channel
Description:   The Victorian Perinatal Data Collection Unit (VPDCU) runs the Victorian Birth Defects Register. This register collects information on all infants born in Victoria since 1983 and determines how often birth defects occur.
Date:   Oct 2007
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:   Jul 2007
Title:   Developmental hip dysplasia explained
Publisher:   Better Health Channel
Description:   Developmental dysplasia of the hip(DDH), means that the hip joint of a newborn baby is dislocated or prone to dislocation. DDH affects one in 600 girls and one in 3000 boys. Treatment includes special harnesses, or operations and splints.
Date:   Apr 2008
Title:   Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome
Publisher:   Better Health Channel
Description:   Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome is characterised by an electrocardiogram (ECG) abnormality. This is usually, but not always, associated with attacks of rapid heart rate (tachycardia). A person with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome has two electrical pathways inside their heart instead of one, and the extra pathway can lead to instability in the electrical control mechanism of the heart.
Date:   Sep 2007
Title:   Hearing problems in children
Publisher:   Better Health Channel
Description:   Causes of hearing problems in children include otitis media (infection of the middle ear), genetic disorders, exposure to loud noise, and certain diseases (such as meningitis). Treatment depends on the cause and severity of hearing loss.
Date:   Dec 2008
Title:   Genetic services in Victoria
Publisher:   Better Health Channel
Description:   Genetic services in Victoria cover diagnosis, screening and testing, counselling, education, clinical research and the ongoing management of individuals and families with particular birth defects and genetic disorders
Date:   Sep 2008
Title:   Magnesium sulphate for women at risk of preterm birth for neuroprotection of the fetus
Publisher:   John Wiley and Sons, Ltd. for The Cochrane Collaboration
Description:   Babies born too early (preterm) have a higher risk of dying in the first weeks of life than babies born at term, and those who survive often have damage to their nerves in the form of cerebral palsy, blindness, deafness or physical disabilities. This ca...
Date:   Apr 2007
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:   Feb 2007
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:   Feb 2007
Title:   Ultrasound for fetal assessment in early pregnancy
Publisher:   John Wiley and Sons, Ltd. for The Cochrane Collaboration
Description:   Advantages of early pregnancy ultrasound screening are thought to be more accurate calculation of gestational age, earlier identification of multiple pregnancies, and diagnosis of non-viable pregnancies and certain fetal malformations.
Date:   Jun 2001
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:   Aug 2007
Results 1 to 20 displayed.
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