From Sade Adewale, Ondo

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An expert has advised pregnant women to imbibe healthy behaviours before and during pregnancy in order not to have birth defects.
Dr Pius Awolope from the Children Department, University Teaching Hospital, Ondo, stated this in an interview with The Hope,
He said not all birth defects can be prevented. But pregnant women can increase the chances of having a healthy baby by managing health conditions and listen to their doctors.
Awolope noted that a birth defect is something visibly or internally abnormal, or chemically abnormal about the newborn baby’s body. The defect might be caused by genetics, infection, radiation, or drug exposure.
According to him, birth defects are common between two percent and three percent of infants that have one or more defects at birth. That number increases to five percent by age one.
He further said that not all defects are discovered directly after child’s birth, some are after a year.
The expert added that obesity is one of the risks for serious birth defects and other pregnancy complications, saying pregnant women must maintain a healthy weight before and during pregnancy.
He advised them to focus on a lifestyle that include healthy eating, regular physical activity and boost their health by avoiding harmful substances during pregnancy, such as alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs.
The expert added that smoking during pregnancy can harm the baby and can cause certain birth defects.
According to him, inheriting an extra or absent chromosone, deletions or duplications of single genes can also cause developmental disorders and birth defects. One example is cystic fibrosis that is a disorder that causes progressive damage of the lungs and pancreas.
He advised pregnant women to take Folic acid as directed by the doctor, adding that folic acid is important because it helps prevent some major birth defects in the baby’s brain and spine.
He further advised them to be up to date with all vaccines because it helps protect the mother and the developing baby against serious diseases.