Folate is an essential B vitamin that is found in a number of fruits and leafy green vegetables. In men, consuming high levels of folic acid has been reported to boost sperm count and genetic quality. No studies indicate that excess folic acid consumed by fathers can cause birth defects, as there are a number of barriers that limit folic acid toxicity.
A cystic hygroma is a birth defect where there is a mass, usually on the neck or in the underarm area. The mass can fill with lymph fluid and/or blood. It might even become infected. Your diet does not cause a hygroma and eatin...
Overdosing on vitamin B-6 supplements can potentially cause nerve damage and birth defects for your unborn child -- as well as for health risks for you. However, it is important for pregnant women to get enough dietary B-6, sin...
About 4,800 babies are born each year in the United States with clefts and no other birth defects, according to the March of Dimes. Most of these children are born with cleft lips along with cleft palates. Children with cleft p...
A cleft palate and harelip are two birth defects that can occur together. A cleft palate affects the roof of the mouth, leaving an opening in the palate. Patients with a harelip have a gap in the lip. The Merriam-Webster dictio...
Clubfoot, formally known as talipes equinovarus, is a common birth defect that causes the foot to turn in and down so that it can't be placed in the normal position, according to MedlinePlus. Sometimes the foot and calf are als...
Females may need to have a surgical procedure on the vagina, called vaginoplasty, for several different reasons. Vaginoplasty can correct birth defects to the vagina and urinary system. A cosmetic vaginoplasty to tighten vagina...
CVS stands for chorionic villus sampling, which is a tissue test performed to detect and diagnose birth defects in unborn fetuses. If you're pregnant, your doctor might recommend a CVS if you have certain risk factors. Some pot...
Isotretinoin, marketed under the brand name Accutane, is widely used to treat acne. The Journal of Clinical Pharmacology notes that isotretinoin causes significant birth defects. If you have been treated for acne and subsequent...
This fusion forms the roof of the mouth and the upper lip. When the area does not close correctly, a cleft lip or a cleft palate occurs. Some children have a cleft lip or a cleft palate and other children have both conditions. ...
Physicians often treat acne with topical and oral medications. During pregnancy, the use of acne medications is strongly discouraged due to the increase in the risk of birth defects. It remains important for expectant mothers t...
Curvature of the spine, also known as scoliosis, is a relatively common condition. It can vary in its onset, its rate of progression, its severity, its location and its potential impact on the affected person's appearance and h...
There are several different eye defects. Some are present at birth while others develop over time due to aging or disease. In some cases, these problems can be easily corrected. If left untreated, however, some eye defects migh...
Gastroschisis is an rare fetal abnormality which causes a baby to be born with part of the intestine outside of the body. A hole in the abdominal wall is present on the side of the belly button. Being outside the body is hard o...
The major cardiac landmarks, including diverse procedures and techniques that involve repairs, transplants and implants for both the damaged heart and cardiac birth defects, were first pioneered in the 1920s, but progress quick...
The foot is turned at such a sharp degree, near the ankle, that it resembles a golf club. According to the Mayo Clinic, clubfoot disease is a common birth defect that doesn't affect the overall health of the newborn.
An omphalocele is a serious birth defect, and you should expect your baby to have to stay in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) for some time while the defect is repaired. In some cases, omphaloceles are also indicative of...
Clubfoot is a fairly common birth defect that affects approximately 1 in 1,000 newborns. It is usually identified before birth or just after birth, and treatment typically begins soon after. If treatment begins within the first...
Congenital hydrocephalus, which is a birth defect present from the moment an infant is born, cannot be prevented. It is caused by genetics and is determined while the child is in the womb. If you have a child with hydrocephalu...
Treating a cleft lip involves more than simply repairing the divide in the lip, but that is the first step. Because cleft lip is a birth defect, the need for surgery will be immediately apparent when a child is born. Reconstru...
Birth defects are abnormalities present at the time of a baby's birth. They occur in approximately 3 percent of pregnancies. When some part of the baby's body did not form correctly or completely, this is a structural birth de...
A ureterocele, a birth defect, can sometimes be detected before your child is born. In rare cases, when the urine blockage resulting from the swelling in your baby's ureter threatens your unborn child's life, your doctor may r...
Vater syndrome, also known as Vater association, refers to birth defects that show a related but sporadic relationship between three specific physical areas. The term Vater is an acronym referring to the areas of abnormality. ...
The cuspids are those teeth on each side that are the third down from the two front teeth. These teeth are in the same place where a dog's fangs are located. Vampires have sharpened cuspids with which to bite their victims. Cu...
Approximately 1 in 600 to 1 in 1,000 U.S. children are born with oral-facial clefts annually. Children with this defect have an opening in the lip, the roof of the mouth or in both locations. These openings occur during fetal ...
These traumas can cause a broken neck or broken back and damage the spinal cord, which in turn causes paralysis. The leading cause of paralysis from non-trauma is stroke. Other causes of paralysis include birth defects, infecti...