More than 10 million babies are born each year with a serious birth defect (Source: March of Dimes). A birth defect can be found before birth, at birth, or any time after birth. Most birth defects are found within the first year of life. (Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
There are more than 4,000 different kinds of birth defects, ranging from minor (require no treatment) to more major (require medical or surgical treatment). Heart defects are the most common type of structural defect. Others include spina bifida, cleft palate, clubfoot, and congenital dislocated hip. Birth defects are a leading cause of death in the first year of life (Source: KidsHealth).
To raise awareness and advocate for more surveillance, prevention, care, and research to help babies and children born with birth defects, the March of Dimes and more than 100 other international organizations are joining together for World Birth Defects Day, observed every year on March 3rd.
On this day the public is asked to lend their voices and participate in social media activities, joining the buzzday on Twitter using #WorldBDDay to share their stories and experiences.
The World Forgotten Children Foundation (WFCF) encourages everyone to take part in World Birth Defects Day and to consider getting involved with WFCF in its mission to support children with disabilities globally.
For more information on birth defects, please view the March of Dimes Global Report here. This report is the first to provide a global estimate of serious birth defects of genetic or partly genetic origin. It details the birth prevalence rates and the numbers of affected births in 193 countries.
Sources
March of Dimes. (n.d.). World Birth Defects Day. Retrieved February 10, 2020, from https://www.marchofdimes.org/world-birth-defects-day.aspx?gclid=Cj0KCQiAnY_jBRDdARIsAIEqpJ0Wivj3QZR9bKiDg_GvahOMfgEKOMSI6IatuZeC5nfBI96i9RexTPMaAvKPEALw_wcB
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.). What are Birth Defects?. Retrieved February 10, 2020, from https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/birthdefects/facts.html
KidsHealth. (n.d.). Birth Defects. Retrieved February 10, 2020, from https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/birth-defects.html
March of Dimes. (n.d.). March of Dimes Global Report on Birth Defects. Retrieved February 10, 2020, from https://www.marchofdimes.org/mission/march-of-dimes-global-report-on-birth-defects.aspx
