Birth Defects Directory
About 3% of U.S. babies -- around 120,000 newborns per year -- are born with any of 45 types of birth defects. Some birth defects have only a mild impact on a child's life, while others can be devastating, and even life-threatening. Many birth defects can be identified during pregnancy with prenatal testing. Follow the links below to find WebMD's comprehensive coverage about birth defects, what causes them, how they can be prevented, and much more.
Medical Reference
Pregnancy and Chorionic Villus Sampling
WebMD explains chorionic villus sampling (CVS), a prenatal test that helps detect birth defects, genetic diseases, and other problems early in a pregnancy.
Amniocentesis
Amniocentesis can give doctors essential information about the health of your fetus. Learn more from WebMD about the risks and benefits of this procedure.
What Is Cerebral Palsy? What Causes It?
Learn more about cerebral palsy, one of the most common causes of chronic childhood disability.
Can You Prevent Cerebral Palsy?
There’s no sure-fire way to prevent cerebral palsy, a disease that prevents people from controlling their muscles. But parents can help protect babies from some conditions that may lead to it.
Features
A User's Guide to Prenatal Tests
A Guide to Basic Tests
Giving Baby a Chance, Before Birth
Fetal surgery for spina bifida is experimental, but doctors and parents hold out hope.
Pediatric Palliative Care: Easing Your Child's Suffering
Bringing normalcy to families' lives is a goal of pediatric palliative care, also known as pediatric advanced care (PAC). Many families, however, resist palliative care because they think it's limited to end-of-life care.