At Lawson Family Dentistry, we care about the health of everyone in our community. January is designated as Birth Defect Prevention Month. In order to raise awareness about birth defects, Dr. Jessica Lawson and our staff have compiled a list of birth defect facts and prevention information below. We ask our readers to help us raise awareness about this in our community so that we can all make a difference in the health of our families.

Birth Defects Facts and Prevention Methods

• Birth defects are more common than most people think. About one in every 33 babies born has a birth defect.
• Did you know that birth defects form in the beginning of the first trimester? Many times, birth defects occur before a woman even knows she is pregnant.
• With diagnostic technology like ultrasounds and amniocentesis, medical personnel can detect some types of defects before a child is born.
• The most common birth defects are a cleft palate, a cleft lip, Down Syndrome, and Spina Bifida.
• Every year, birth defects lead to almost 140,000 hospitalizations. [Read More]