2000 January is Birth Defects Prevention Month January has been designated as Birth Defects Prevention Month to highlight the public health importance of birth defects. The Iowa Birth Defects Registry, located in the University of Iowa College of Public Health, and the Iowa Department of Public Health want to ensure that women know what they can do to increase their chances of having a healthy baby. Birth defects are the leading cause of infant mortality. The registry is a statewide reporting system that works with all Iowa hospitals and specialty clinics to collect information about birth defects diagnosed among state residents. This information is used to assess trends in their occurrence and mortality within the state and to study potential causes of birth defects.
Some birth defects are preventable.
Prenatal health promotion and health care can help. Folic acid, a B-vitamin, taken before pregnancy and in the early weeks of pregnancy can reduce a woman's risk of having a pregnancy affected by a neural tube defect. In the United States, neural tube defects affect an estimated 4,000 pregnancies each year. The most common of these defects is spina bifida, the leading cause of childhood paralysis. On Jan. 27, Gov. Tom Vilsak will sign a proclamation naming January as Birth Defects Prevention Month in Iowa.