Preventing birth defects: What every mother should know

Preventing birth defects is less about absolutes and more about managing probability.

- DR POONAM BEHAL

Not every factor is within anyone's control, and not every condition is preventable. Yet many risks are modifiable through timely clinical care, thoughtful medication choices, adequate nutrition, and safer environments. The aim is to improve the odds consistently, and with compassion rather than to promise certainty. Prevention works best as a continuum that begins before conception and continues through each trimester. Plans should be individualized, built with your clinician, and adjusted as pregnancy progresses. Moving ahead, few practical and evidence-informed steps have been outlined that can be kept in mind in required times while leaving room for medical advice tailored to your specific needs.

A preconception consultation is the most effective first step. Your clinician can review medical history, medicines, vaccinations, and family risks, and advise on timing and testing. Begin a daily folic acid supplement of at least 400 micrograms one month before conception and continue through the first trimester; higher doses may be recommended in special situations (for example, prior neural-tube defects or certain anti-seizure therapies). Do not alter prescribed medicines without clinical advice.