A child born with low birth weight can cost the society ten times what it costs to raise a healthy child. That low birth weight can be caused by a mother smoking, drinking alcohol or taking other drugs, or eating a poor diet.
Men can also compromise their future baby's health.
New research links men's exposure to toxins and alcohol before conception takes place to an increased risk of birth defects for their children. In this program, host Jamie Guth follows several couples through their pregnancy and prenatal care. Former U.S. Surgeon General C. Everett Koop talks about the risks of smoking. Viewers see a boy with FAS struggling in a grade level two years below his peers. A new media campaign in the state of Vermont is shown reaching out to the poor and uninsured to make sure they get the prenatal care that can prevent these problems.