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Article: National Birth Defects Prevention Month and Folic Acid Awareness Week.(Medical condition overview)(Brief article)
- Article from:
- MMWR. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report
- Article date:
- January 11, 2008
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2008 U.S. Government Printing Office. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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January is National Birth Defects Prevention Month. Birth defects affect approximately one in 33 newborns and are a leading cause of infant mortality in the United States (1). The cost of lifetime care for infants born in a single year with one or more of 17 severe birth defects was estimated at $6 billion in the most recent study (1).
This year, National Birth Defects Prevention Month focuses on preventing infections during pregnancy. Health-care professionals should encourage women who are pregnant or who might become pregnant to adopt behaviors that can prevent infections that might cause birth defects. For example, women can reduce their risk for ...