Learn More about Birth Defects
About one in every 33 babies is born with a birth defect. Not all birth defects can be prevented. But a woman can take steps to increase her own chance of having a baby with the best health possible.
Birth Defects: What's New
- Use of the Antidepressant Venlafaxine During Early Pregnancy May Be Linked to Specific Birth Defects
- World Birth Defects Day
- Pregnant Women Report Taking Medicines for Mental Health Conditions
- Infant Deaths Due to Birth Defects Are Declining, But Differences Between Groups Remain
- Risk for Neural Tube Defects among Pregnancies of Women with HIV
- Best For You. Best For Baby. Tips to Share
- Pre-existing Diabetes Can Increase Risk for Birth Defects
Every 4.5 minutes, a baby is born with a birth defect. Major birth defects are conditions present at birth that cause structural changes in one or more parts of the body.
CDC has created buttons to help increase awareness of birth defects. You can help by posting a button to your website, blog, or social networking site (e.g., Facebook page).
News About Birth Defects
- Pregnancy Outcomes After Maternal Zika Virus Infection During Pregnancy — U.S. Territories
- Vital Signs: Zika Virus – Protecting Pregnant Women and Babies
- Baseline Prevalence of Birth Defects Associated with Zika
- Taking Ondansetron During Pregnancy Does Not Appear to Increase Risk For Birth Defects
- A Growing Number of Reproductive-Aged Women are Filling Prescriptions for ADHD Medicine
- Antibiotic Treatments for Urinary Tract Infections Are Commonly Prescribed To Pregnant Women
Additional Resources
Page last reviewed: August 5, 2020