What Are Neonatal Disorders?
Neonatal disorders are usually conditions in which there is a disturbance in an infant’s body, organs or any evident abnormal bodily functions are present. Birth defects are a common kind of neonatal disorder.
There are three types of birth defects, such as functional, structural or developmental. Structural disorders occur when a particular body part is missing, or it appears to be misshapen. Whereas, functional and developmental disorders lead to specific parts of the body not working properly. Here is a list of other common neonatal disorders:
- Encephalopathy: This condition causes the newborn to have problems in feeding and breathing. They might fall into a state of unconsciousness frequently as well.
- Intracranial Hemorrhage: It causes a lot of bleeding in different parts of the brain, and it mostly occurs in premature infants.
- Down Syndrome: This condition triggers a slow response to the mental and physical development of the baby.
- Sickle Cell Disease: It occurs when there is a deformity in the blood cells.
- Cystic Fibrosis: A disorder that affects the lungs and respiratory system.
- Heart Defects: This is a heart condition that is present at birth that can affect the heart walls, valves, and blood vessels.
- Cleft Lip: This structural disorder occurs when there is an open space in the roof of the mouth.
- Spina Bifida: In this condition, the spinal cord does not develop properly and that leads to complications.
- Clubfoot: Clubfoot occurs when the position of the foot is inwards rather than pointing outwards.
When Is The Risk Of A Birth Defect Higher?
Every pregnancy has some complications and there is always a risk of neonatal disorders appearing after birth. Usually, disorders appear when there is an existing family history of disorders, if the mother consumed alcohol, drugs, and smoked during pregnancy and if the mother’s age is 35 or above while she is pregnant.
How Can The Disorders Be Diagnosed?
Sometimes the birth defects can be spotted during pregnancy through ultrasounds. Furthermore, some screening tests can be done to see whether women with high-risk pregnancies may give birth to an infant with a disorder. Most birth defects can be accurately diagnosed after birth through an examination. Make sure to consult a pediatrician in the post-pregnancy period to determine whether there are any birth defects in your baby.
How Can You Treat It?
The treatment can depend on the child’s condition and if the disorder symptoms range from mild to severe. Medications can be used to reduce the risk of disorders or lower the size of complications that can possibly occur. Often, surgeries can be performed to completely fix the disorder or decrease the level of symptoms that may appear in the future.
How Can You Prevent Defects In Your Baby?
Unfortunately, there is no way to completely prevent neonatal disorders, but there are several ways that can decrease the risk of delivering a baby with birth defects. Alcohol, drugs and smoking should be completely avoided during pregnancy, instead women should focus on consuming a lot of supplements and vitamins.
Visit IMH to avail the best neonatal care we have to offer. We have the best ob-gyn doctors that can help you out during pregnancy!