Well, nay-sayers, prepare to be proven wrong. All of you snarky mamas who glared at me nursing my 3 1/2-year-old on the NYC subway, prepare to be amazed. And to all of my family and friends who wanted to chastise me about nursing a walking, talking, thinking, laughing little man named Fred, thanks for holding your tongues. Because we did it.
Fetal Alcohol Effects: FASDs. Traditionally, alcohol birth defects and other problems caused by a mother drinking while pregnant were broadly grouped under the term âfetal alcohol effects.â Today, the range of problems that impact babies born under these conditions are referred to as fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs).
During a woman's pregnancy, taking folic acid and getting enough iodine in the diet can help prevent some types of birth defects. But it's also important to realize that most babies born with birth defects are born to two healthy parents with no obvious health problems or risk factors. What Causes Birth Defects? In most cases, doctors don't know what caused a baby's birth defect. When the cause is known, it might be environmental (such as a baby's exposure to chemicals or viruses while in the womb), a problem with the fetus' genes, or a combination of these things.