Birth defects, or congenital anomalies, are conditions that cause structural or functional abnormalities present at birth that can be identified at different stages of infancy. A specific birth defect may be caused by one or more of the following: genetics, environmental exposures, infections, maternal nutrition, or other risk factors.
- Structural anomalies:
- Abnormalities in the development of body parts.
- Ex: congenital heart defects, spina bifida, cleft lip or palate, limb deficiency, hypospadias, club foot, Down syndrome, congenital rubella syndrome, congenital Zika syndrome, and fetal alcohol syndrome.
- Abnormalities in the development of body parts.
- Functional anomalies:
- Abnormalities in how a body system works.
- Ex: metabolic diseases, hypothyroidism, congenital adrenal hyperplasia, thalassemia, sickle cell disease, cystic fibrosis, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, deafness, autism, ADHD.
- Abnormalities in how a body system works.
For more information about specific birth defects, including causes, risk factors, diagnosis, and treatments, visit: https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/birthdefects/types.html
Resources
- Overview of Birth Defects
- U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH): https://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/birthdefects (English)
- U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/birthdefects/index.html (English, Spanish)
- The World Health Organization (WHO): www.who.int/topics/congenital_anomalies/ (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, Spanish)
- Genetic Alliance South Africa: http://www.geneticalliance.org.za/about/congenital-disorders/
- Specific Birth Defect Information
- March of Dimes: https://www.marchofdimes.org/find-support/topics/planning-baby/birth-defects-and-your-baby
- Spina Bifida: http://www.apebi.org.ar/index.php/informacion/prevencion (Spanish)
- CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/birthdefects/types.html (English, Spanish)