There are steps you can take to be healthy before and during pregnancy.
NBDPS and BD-STEPS are large studies of birth defect risk factors supported by CDC.
Screening tests can help identify if there may be a birth defect or other concern during pregnancy.
Learn more about birth defects
Birth defects are structural changes that are present at birth.
Specific Conditions
- Anencephaly is a birth defect in which a baby is born without parts of the brain and skull.
- Anophthalmia and microphthalmia are birth defects of a baby's eye(s).
- Anotia and microtia are birth defects of a baby's ear.
- Cleft lip and palate are birth defects that occur when a baby's lip or mouth don't form properly.
- Craniosynostosis is a birth defect in which the bones in a baby's skull join together too early.
- Diaphragmatic hernia is a birth defect where there is a hole in the diaphragm.
- Down syndrome is a condition in which a person has an extra chromosome 21.
- Encephalocele is a sac-like protrusion of the brain through an opening in the skull.
- Esophageal atresia is a birth defect of the tube (esophagus) that connects the mouth to the stomach.
- Gastroschisis is a birth defect where there is a hole in the abdominal wall beside the belly button.
- Hypospadias is a birth defect where the opening of the urethra isn't at the tip of the penis.
- Limb reduction defects occur when a part of or the entire arm or leg fails to form completely.
- Microcephaly is a birth defect where a baby's head is smaller than expected.
- Neural tube defects are severe birth defects of the brain and spine.