All4Baby » Birth defects https://all4baby.co.za From Pregnancy to birth to baby and beyond. The place to find, chat, and share. Wed, 09 Jul 2014 10:58:25 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=192 What to expect from your 20 week scan https://all4baby.co.za/birth/labour-delivery/1275/expect-20-week-scan/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=expect-20-week-scan https://all4baby.co.za/birth/labour-delivery/1275/expect-20-week-scan/#comments Wed, 09 Jul 2014 09:17:10 +0000 https://all4baby.co.za/?p=1275 Your mid-pregnancy (20 week) scan is the most important, as it is this scan that can detect the presence of a Congenital Heart Defect in your unborn baby.

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The mid-pregnancy scan can (and should) seem like a natural part of the process in any pregnancy – between 17 and 21 weeks, your OBGYN will either conduct the scan himself or send you off to a sonographer who will perform an in-depth scan of your baby.

To a mom wary of Congenital Heart Defects (CHDs), this is the scan – the results of which will leave them filled with relief or fear because it is also the scan that shows the presence or lack thereof of a CHD.

This scan highlights potential defects in the foetus. It’s also the most important scan as it gives you the time you’ll need to prepare for life with a defect.

Checking for anomalies in your unborn baby

Sometimes referred to as the “anomaly” scan, it is exactly that – a check for anomalies in your unborn baby.

The sonographer will examine your baby’s organs and take measurements. He or she will look at;

  • The shape or structure of the baby’s head
  • The baby’s face (to check for a cleft lip)
  • The spine to check that the bones align
  • That the skin covers the spine at the back
  • The abdominal wall to make sure that all the internal organs are covered; and
  • The stomach, kidneys, arms, legs, feet and hands which will also be checked for defects here.

Checking your baby’s heart

It is during this scan that your baby’s heart will be checked. Your OBGYN will ensure that the top two chambers (atria) and bottom two chambers (ventricles) are the same size. He or she will also make sure that the valves open and close with each beat of the heart and that the major veins and arteries carrying blood to and from the heart are in good shape.

Asking the right questions

As part of our awareness efforts, we ask expectant parents to make sure they ask five very important questions during this scan:

  1. Is the heart rate normal?
  2. Is the heart function normal?
  3. Do you see four chambers in the baby’s heart?
  4. Are the heart and stomach in the right position?
  5. Do you look at arteries as part of your anomaly scan?

For the moms who want to delve a bit deeper, you are also fully within your rights to ask:

  1. Are there two upper chambers (left and right atria), each with a valve controlling blood flow out of them?
  2. Are there two lower chambers (left and right ventricles), each with a valve controlling blood flow out of them?
  3. Do the vessels of the heart (aorta and pulmonary artery) cross each other as they exit?
  4. Is the wall between the two lower chambers intact, without any holes?
  5. Does everything in the heart look normal?

Some heart conditions (and bowel obstructions) might not be seen until later in the pregnancy or even after the child is born (which is why asking for a pulse oximetry test to be performed on your baby before taking him home is so vital) but having a thorough scan at this point can rule out these conditions and put your mind at ease.

What if the news from this scan is bad?

If a problem is found or suspected, you will be told immediately and will probably be advised to set up a more thorough exam with an actual cardiologist. Here, what is called a foetal echo scan dives a bit deeper (so to speak) for a more thorough look at the heart.

Detection leads to preparation

Why is this scan important? The answer is simple – knowledge is power.

Detecting a potential CHD before birth allows for planning. Planning for the rest of the pregnancy; planning for a safer delivery; and planning for the necessary teams to be prepped and ready to go following the birth of the baby.

Natural birth, for example, might be too traumatic for a CHD baby and planning for a Caesarean could be an option to ease the path.

Some babies are “born blue”, which means they would need immediate attention and knowing that this is a possibility would mean parents and their birthing teams can prepare to have the right skills ready and waiting.

1 in 100 babies

Any pregnancy should be a special time for moms but the reality is that 1 in every 100 babies born will have a CHD.

Many of these are minor, some even fix themselves and most of those that don’t, can be corrected through surgery – but asking the right questions during the 20 week scan and then demanding a pulse-ox before you take your baby home can make sure these pregnancies have the happy endings that they deserve.

About the Author: Andrea Slater is mother to a CHD angel and all she wants is to help other tiny people get a fighting chance in this life. Readers are welcome to visit her blog for more on Hudson’s journey or visit www.hudsoninitiative.org and www.facebook.com/thehudsoninitiative

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World’s first kidney dialysis machine for infants now exists! https://all4baby.co.za/newborns-0-6-months/birth-defects/975/worlds-first-kidney-dialysis-machine-infants-now-exists/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=worlds-first-kidney-dialysis-machine-infants-now-exists https://all4baby.co.za/newborns-0-6-months/birth-defects/975/worlds-first-kidney-dialysis-machine-infants-now-exists/#comments Wed, 18 Jun 2014 08:28:13 +0000 https://all4baby.co.za/?p=975 A new dialysis machine can be used on newborns and children up to 10 kg, can handle smaller volumes of fluid much more accurately, and allows the use of a much smaller catheter.

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The world’s first miniaturised kidney dialysis machine has saved the lives of eight babies in nine months.

Until now, babies with kidney failure were treated with machines built for adults, with smaller filters and other imprecise adaptations that tend to withdraw too much or too little of the waste fluid building up in the body.

“Incredible but true,” said Claudio Ronco from the San Bortolo Hospital’s renal research institute in Vicenza. “It’s like using a tool for a car to fix a watch.”

Yet companies have been loath to invest in baby-targeted machines as they are not profitable enough, he added.

“The number of neonates (infants) around the world that suffer from this disorder is very small and therefore there is no point for a company to invest in technology.”

So Ronco and colleagues launched a fundraising programme, hosting sports games and concerts and collecting some 300,000 euros ($410,000) to build a prototype.

This attracted help from two Italian manufacturers, and so the child-friendly machine dubbed CARPEDIEM (Cardio-Renal Paediatric Dialysis Emergency Machine) was born.

The first beneficiary, a girl with multiple organ failure weighing just 2.9 kilogrammes (6.4 pounds), was treated in August last year.

“The baby was almost dead,” Ronco told AFP. “This baby could not be treated with any other treatment. When the baby was discharged from hospital we really had the impression that we had done something very good.”

The girl underwent 25 days of dialysis and was sent home after 50 days with her organ function restored.

Nine other babies have since been treated in Europe, of whom seven survived, said Ronco. This was an “incredible” percentage given the historical mortality rate of up to 90 percent, he explained.

“This technology has the potential to revolutionise the treatment of infants with acute kidney injury,” said a press statement from The Lancet medical journal, which published the study.

It can be used on newborns and children up to 10 kilogrammes, can handle smaller volumes of fluid much more accurately, and allows the use of a much smaller catheter.

About 18 percent of infants with low birthweight and about 20 percent of children admitted to intensive care are estimated to suffer from acute kidney injury, according to the statement.

In a comment on the study, Benjamin Laskin of The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and Bethany Foster from Montreal’s Children’s Hospital said the girl’s survival was “an outcome that would have been less likely just several years ago”.

“The smile of the baby when she came to visit me three days ago — that smile was worth 40 years of medicine,” added Ronco.

(AFP Relaxnews)

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Add Brussel sprouts to your pre-pregnancy diet https://all4baby.co.za/falling-pregnant/fertility-101/816/add-brussel-sprouts-pre-pregnancy-diet/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=add-brussel-sprouts-pre-pregnancy-diet https://all4baby.co.za/falling-pregnant/fertility-101/816/add-brussel-sprouts-pre-pregnancy-diet/#comments Fri, 30 May 2014 07:24:31 +0000 https://all4baby.co.za/?p=816 Brussel sprouts may boost fertility in both men and women. Here's why.

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Brussels sprouts may boost fertility in both men and women, a UK expert says. The green micro-cabbage is thought to be a “must” for any pre-pregnancy diet.

Research has found that 9 percent of all conceptions take place over the holiday period, making December the most fertile month of the year. For couples wanting a baby, Neema Savvides, a nutritional therapist at the Harley Street Fertility Clinic in the UK, advised adding more Brussels sprouts to your plate, The Daily Mail reports.

Baby making superfood

“Believe it or not, this green micro-cabbage is a baby-making superfood,” she said, according to BabyWorld.co.uk. “Firstly, they are bursting with folic acid, which is essential for boosting fertility in both men and women. This vitamin-rich source also increases sperm levels and helps line the womb with the right nutrients raising sperm survival chances.”

Decreases miscarriages and birth defects

“Another benefit of this folic-rich food is that it also helps to decrease the risk of miscarriages and birth defects.”

The vegetables are also packed with a phytonutrient called di-indolylmethane, which has been found to help women absorb balanced levels of the hormone estrogen.

Boosts fertility

Plus since it binds to environmental estrogens, such as pesticides and hormones found in meat and dairy products, it helps rid the body of excess hormones, boosting fertility.

(AFP Relaxnews)

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Air fresheners may lead to hormonal imbalances, birth defects and reproductive problems https://all4baby.co.za/falling-pregnant/480/air-fresheners-may-lead-hormonal-imbalances-birth-defects-reproductive-problems/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=air-fresheners-may-lead-hormonal-imbalances-birth-defects-reproductive-problems https://all4baby.co.za/falling-pregnant/480/air-fresheners-may-lead-hormonal-imbalances-birth-defects-reproductive-problems/#comments Thu, 24 Apr 2014 10:29:07 +0000 https://all4baby.co.za/?p=480 Recent research has shown that air fresheners pose a great risk to women, specifically expectant moms who may suffer birth defects. This is since they contain chemicals that few moms and moms-to-be are aware of.

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Very few people know the potential health risk associated with using air fresheners in their homes.

Many of these products could contain toxic chemicals known as phthalates which can cause hormonal abnormalities, birth defects and even reproductive problems.

A recent investigation of 14 common air fresheners by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) found hormone-disrupting chemicals known as phthalates in 12 products, including some fresheners marketed as “all-natural” and “unscented.”

None of the air fresheners listed phthalates on their labels. The air fresheners NRDC tested included aerosol sprays, liquids that emit a continuous scent, and a solid.

NRDC’s testing was limited, but the results do suggest that more comprehensive, in-depth testing of air fresheners is warranted.

Air fresheners are used indoors, heightening the threat of exposure to families.

A study (by the University of Bristol called “Children of the ’90s”, which has followed the health and development of 14,000 children since before birth) didn’t analyse the ingredients in air fresheners, just the effects:

  • 32% more babies suffered diarrhea in homes where air fresheners were used every day
  • These babies had significantly more earaches in these homes as well.
  • Air fresheners also affected mothers—those who used them daily suffered nearly 10% more headaches.
  • Perhaps most surprising is the finding that women who lived in homes with daily air freshener use had a 26% increased risk of depression.

Researchers have suggested that strong regulations need to be set in motion to protect consumers, such as having all manufacturers test and submit data on the levels of toxicity and health effects of inhaling the chemicals.

All is not lost if you wish to keep your home smelling fresh. Simple ways to freshen your surroundings naturally include:

  • Opening the shades and windows to bring in air and sunlight
  • Burn pure beeswax candles that purify and clean the air
  • Leave an open box of baking soda open
  • Use indoor plants
  • Simmer cinnamon and cloves, fresh ginger or herbs in water on the stove top
  • Use potpourris

Learn more about effectively removing  odour & bacteria at www.hygizone.com.

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Congenital heart defects: What every mom and mom-to-be should know https://all4baby.co.za/newborns-0-6-months/birth-defects/454/congenital-heart-defects-every-mom-mom-know/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=congenital-heart-defects-every-mom-mom-know https://all4baby.co.za/newborns-0-6-months/birth-defects/454/congenital-heart-defects-every-mom-mom-know/#comments Wed, 23 Apr 2014 09:04:37 +0000 https://all4baby.co.za/?p=454 CHDs are the number one birth defect and the top cause of birth defect related deaths worldwide. One in five infant deaths that are mistakenly identified as Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) are actually CHD related.

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There are approximately 37 known CHDs and one in 100 children born are affected. That’s one child born with a heart defect every 15 minutes globally.

If you were to ask expectant mothers what a CHD is, not many would know the answer and this is because you only really become affected by these defects if you are lucky enough to have them identified early on.

CHD Facts

CHD deaths can be avoided through education and knowledge. If moms are armed with the information they need to protect their babies from CHD related issues, death could potentially be avoided. All moms need to do is ask.

  • Congenital Heart Defects are the number one birth defect worldwide.
  • Congenital Heart Defects are also the number one cause of birth defect related deaths worldwide.
  • Approximately one out of every 100 babies are born each year with some type of Congenital Heart Defect.
  • Each year 100,000 babies (under one year old) worldwide will not live to celebrate their first birthday.
  • The cost for inpatient surgery to repair Congenital Heart Defects exceeds $2.2 billion a year.
  • Of every dollar the government spends on medical funding only a fraction of a penny is directed toward Congenital Heart Defect research.
  • Although some babies will be diagnosed during gestation or at birth, sometimes the diagnosis is not made until days, weeks, months, or even years after. In some cases, CHD is not detected until adolescence or adulthood.
  • It is a proven fact that the earlier CHD is detected and treated, it is more likely the affected child will survive and have less long term health complications.
  • More than 50% of all children born with congenital heart defect will require at least one invasive surgery in their lifetime.
  • There are more than 37 different types of congenital heart defects. Little is known about the cause of most of them. There is no known prevention or cure for any of them.
  • Globally, twice as many children die from congenital heart defects each year than from all forms of childhood cancer combined, yet funding for pediatric cancer research is five times higher than funding for CHDs.

Meet Hudson

“Hudson was born on January 14th, 2013. Two days later, the hospital appointed paediatrician identified what he thought to be a heart murmur and immediately called the resident cardiologist to check it out. It turned out, Hudson had a congenital heart defect (CHD) called Truncus Arteriosus.

He underwent surgery at six weeks of age and everything looked so positive that we’d all but stopped worrying about his heart; so it was completely unexpected when he passed away in the early hours of the morning of May 17th.

In a sad way, we were lucky. Hudson’s CHD was identified early on and we could do everything possible to try and save him. While we weren’t successful and are struggling through the grief of losing our child, we believe that Hudson’s story can help to make a difference in saving the lives of future CHD kids”, says Hudson’s mom, Andrea Slater.

Ask your OB Gyn for information on CHD

There aren’t many OB Gyns who routinely perform the necessary scans for CHDs during pregnancy. Most scan routinely for Down’s Syndrome and various other genetic disorders, but the dangers that face unborn children go further than just these.

If heart related disorders are identified, expectant mothers can, for instance, opt for caesarean sections rather than natural birth, thereby relieving the stress on the infant’s heart and body.

Ask for a Pulse Oximetry (Pulse Ox) screen once your child is born

Pulse Ox is a simple screening test that measures how much oxygen is in a baby’s blood. When performed after the baby is 24 hours old (or before discharge), the test can help identify babies who may have serious heart problems before they go home.

Speak to other humans who know

Join pages like The Hudson Initiative on Facebook, where we bring focus to CHDs, what’s being done about them in South Africa, what mothers can do to protect their kids going forward and raise funds to help raise awareness around CHDs. Talk to us, we can help you save a heart.

About the Author: Andrea Slater is mother to a CHD angel and all she wants is to help other tiny people get a fighting chance in this life. Readers are welcome to visit her blog for more on Hudson’s journey.

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