Medical experts say that while the actual causes of most congenital defects in newborns are unknown, the predisposing factors to some of the disorders are known. They, however, stress that congenital disorders (deformities at birth, those before birth or those that develop the first month of life)- have been a source of concern to parents and health authorities.
A mother, who prefers to be known as Mrs Godwin, recently gave birth to a baby boy without eyes in a hospital in Abuja. Expectedly, the woman and her husband viewed the malformation with concern because the baby was their first child after several years of their marriage.
In another case, a child, commonly called Ibrahim in Gwagwalada, Abuja, was born without the anus, meaning that he could not excrete feaces. Although the helpless boy had contacted some infections due to the poor management of his condition by his parents, an artificial anus was later created for him.
Experts insists that while the causes of such cases are unknown, other congenital disorders such as cleft lips (deformity of the lips),hypospadias- birth defect of the urethra in the male child and cleft palate – can be prevented via medical intervention.
Samson Olori, a paediatric surgeon with the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada, said that some of the deformities could be prevented via intake of balanced diets during pregnancy. He also said that the consumption of balanced diets could prevent other health problems afflicting babies, advising expectant mothers to take folic acid, according to doctors’ prescription, three months before and after conception.
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Olori, however, said that in some complicated cases, the appearance of the genitalia is not very definite in some newborns, resulting in the error of identification of the babies’ sex .
Explaining some causes of congenital disorders, the surgeon said that people who worked in radiology environment stood a higher risk of having babies with defects.
“Radiation can actually affect the very tender cells, the ovary or the sperm and it can cause some alteration in the original design of the gene, resulting in the birth of abnormal babies”, he said.
Besides, Olori said that careless handling of lead-acid batteries by expectant mothers or prospecting fathers could be a predisposing factor to a particular congenital disorder. “caution should be taken while handling some of the wastes because of the little radiation these wastes release can cause a lot of havoc to the unborn child,” he said.
Corroborating Olori’s views, Joseph Obande, a neurosurgeon with the University of Abuja Teaching hospital, Gwagwalada, underscored the need for a public health policy on adequate intake of folic acid by women to reduce congenital disorders. According to him, folic acid is the commonest preventative measure that has led to the reduction of neural tube defects worldwide by at least 50 percent.
“The neural tube defects are abnormalities that result in hydrocephalous-abnormal enlargement of the head. It occurs due to failure of the neural tube during the first 30 days of foetal development,” he said.
Obande insisted that the developed world had a public health policy aimed at reducing the occurrence of such cases by fortifying the food ingredients of the citizens with folic acid. “if all women of child bearing age have adequate level of folic acid before conception and we are able to formulate a policy in Nigeria to back up; then, its going to help,” he said.
The neurosurgeon explained that causes of tube defects included an interplay of environmental factors, insisting that the major cause of most disorders in babies was folic acid deficiency. According to him, folic vitamin is vital to the development of the central nervous system which occurs within three weeks of pregnancy.
“if the mother dors not have adequate store of folic acid and the use of this development, neural tube defect may occur. So, if one is having adequate store of folic acid before conception, it will prevent congenital abnormality among babies,” Obande said.
Sharing similar sentiments, Prosper Igboeli, a gynaecologist, said that women of reproductive age should take 400mg of folic acid twice a day to prevent congenital abnormality during pregnancy.
Igboeli, the managing director of an Abuja-based fertility centre, observed that in the past, many women gave birth to babies with neural tube defect because they did not take enough folic acid. Nevertheless, paediatric surgeons believe that children with congenital problems have 80 percent survival chances if they are taken to the hospital early enough.
They, therefore, advise parents to always present their babies who have disorders such as imperforated anus and cleft lips, among others, for urgent medical attention. They insist that with proper diagnosis, appropriate medical attention and parents’ support, babies with congenital disorders can live normal lives.
Experts warn that prevention is better than cure, advising women of child bearing age to ingest adequate folic acid, so as to rid the society of children with congenital disorders.
IJEOMA ASIEGBU
