What are some common types of birth defects?
Structural and Metabolic Abnormalities When a baby has a structural birth defect, some part of the body (internal or external) is missing or malformed. Heart defects are the most common type of structural birth defect, affecting one baby in 125. While advances in surgery have dramatically improved the outlook for affected babies, these remain the leading cause of birth defect-related infant deaths. About one baby in 135 has a structural defect involving the genitals or urinary tract. Metabolic disorders affect one in 3,500 babies. (these disorders are not visible, but can be harmful or even fatal). Congenital Infections Rubella (German measles) probably is the best known congenital infection that can cause birth defects. If a pregnant woman is infected in the first trimester, her baby has a one-in-four chance of being born with one or more features of congenital rubella syndrome (deafness, mental retardation, heart defects, blindness). Fortunately, with widespread vaccination, this syn
