Each year more than 4 million children are born with birth defects. This book highlights the unprecedented opportunity to improve the lives of children and families in developing countries by preventing some birth defects and reducing the consequences of others. A number of developing countries with more comprehensive health care systems are making significant progress in the prevention and care of birth defects. In many other developing countries, however, policymakers have limited knowledge of the negative impact of birth defects and are largely unaware of the affordable and effective interventions available to reduce the impact of certain conditions. Reducing Birth Defects: Meeting the Challenge in the Developing World includes descriptions of successful programs and presents a plan of action to address critical gaps in the understanding, prevention, and treatment of birth defects in developing countries. This study also recommends capacity building, priority research, and institutional and global efforts to reduce the incidence and impact of birth defects in developing countries.
This book presents the epidemiology of birth defects and their public health and social implications in India. As neglected childhood disorders, birth defects remain invisible in global maternal and child health dialogues. Birth defects services are emerging in India. This book approaches birth defects from a public health perspective, identifying the core functions of a birth defects service. Keeping in mind the complex task of providing multidisciplinary services for children with disabilities and complex medical conditions, the book examines the basic public health activities that have been put in place to address these conditions in India. The book describes birth defects surveillance and the challenges of acquiring accurate and timely data on birth defects against the background of India’s mixed health system. It discusses opportunities for prevention of birth defects and describes the structure and function of an emergent genetic service. It explores issues related to an integrated service for children with special healthcare needs, such as screening, early intervention, and rehabilitation. Furthermore, it describes the impact of these conditions on caregivers, including birth defects stigma. This book not only addresses a knowledge gap in the field of public health in India, but also explores the broader issues of services for children with disabilities and disabling conditions in low and low-middle income settings where access to health care is not universal. Given the depth and breadth of its coverage, the book offers an essential resource for birth defects researchers, researchers in the field of maternal and child health, public health/ global health, disability researchers, and researchers from the fields of rehabilitation sciences, nursing and anthropology. This book will be a valuable read for social medicine/community medicine departments, global health courses, and public health schools in India and other low middle-income countries.
Scientific Frontiers in Developmental Toxicology and Risk Assessment reviews advances made during the last 10-15 years in fields such as developmental biology, molecular biology, and genetics. It describes a novel approach for how these advances might be used in combination with existing methodologies to further the understanding of mechanisms of developmental toxicity, to improve the assessment of chemicals for their ability to cause developmental toxicity, and to improve risk assessment for developmental defects. For example, based on the recent advances, even the smallest, simplest laboratory animals such as the fruit fly, roundworm, and zebrafish might be able to serve as developmental toxicological models for human biological systems. Use of such organisms might allow for rapid and inexpensive testing of large numbers of chemicals for their potential to cause developmental toxicity; presently, there are little or no developmental toxicity data available for the majority of natural and manufactured chemicals in use. This new approach to developmental toxicology and risk assessment will require simultaneous research on several fronts by experts from multiple scientific disciplines, including developmental toxicologists, developmental biologists, geneticists, epidemiologists, and biostatisticians.
The aim and scope of this book is to review current information on human development and processes of differentiation that have benefited from breakthrough analyses in stem cell biology, elucidation of genome and gene architecture and aspects of regulation of gene expression, analysis of signaling systems and transcription factor actions.Insights into actions of specific genes and their roles in development have been gathered through studies in patients with specific birth defects, including congenital malformations, metabolic defects and functional impairments.The book is organized into three sections, the first dealing with aspects of genomics, gene structure and regulation, analysis of signaling and function of specific organelles. The second section deals with molecular aspects of development of specific organs and structures such as, bone, face, brain, heart, liver, pancreas, kidney. The last section deals with specific malformations and tumors that provide insight into regulation of growth. Environmental factors that impact growth and development are also covered.
This book focuses on the use of animal models to study various human defects. It summarizes our current understanding of a variety of common human birth defects and the essential role of animal models in shedding light on the underlying mechanisms of these disorders. Birth defects are the leading cause of infant deaths, and cost billions of dollars in care for those affected. Unfortunately, the lack of a clear understanding of the mechanisms leading to many of these developmental disorders has hindered effective prevention and early intervention strategies. Studies using animal models have provided essential insights into several human birth defects. This book serves as a valuable reference resource for researchers and graduate students who are interested in learning the basic principles as well as the latest advances in the study of the mechanisms of human birth defects.
Birth Defects Surveillance: A Manual for Programme Managers was highly commended in the Public Health category of the British Medical Association 2015 Medical Book Competition. Congenital anomalies, also known as birth defects, are structural or functional abnormalities, including metabolic disorders, which are present from birth. Congenital anomalies are a diverse group of disorders of prenatal origin, which can be caused by single gene defects, chromosomal disorders, multifactorial inheritance, environmental teratogens or micronutrient deficiencies. This manual is intended to serve as a tool for the development, implementation and ongoing improvement of a congenital anomalies surveillance program, particularly for countries with limited resources. The focus of the manual is on population-based and hospital-based surveillance programs. Some countries may not find it feasible to begin with the development of a population-based program. Therefore, the manual focuses on the methodology needed for the development of both population-based and hospital-based surveillance program. Further, although many births in predominantly low- and middle-income countries occur outside of hospitals, some countries with limited resources may choose to start with a hospital-based surveillance program and expand it later into one that is population based. Any country wishing to expand its current hospital-based program into a population-based program, or to begin the initial development of a population-based registry, should find this manual helpful in reaching its goal. This manual provides selected examples of congenital anomalies. Typically, these anomalies are severe enough that they would probably be captured during the first few days following birth. Also, because of their severity and frequency, these selected conditions have significant public health impact, and for some there is a potential for primary prevention. Nevertheless, these are just suggestions, and countries can choose to monitor a subset of these conditions or add other congenital anomalies to meet their needs. This manual is a collaborative effort between the World Health Organization (WHO), the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the International Clearinghouse for Birth Defects Surveillance and Research (ICBDSR).
Surprisingly, the beginning of a modern approach This collection of articles and commentaries is an to the problems of birth defects is relatively recent integration of information from many disciplines, and dates from Gregg's classical report in 1941 that and presents a comprehensive survey of both recent mothers who contracted rubella during the first tri and previously reported work related to the major mester of pregnancy gave birth to infants with severe aspects of birth defects. In particular, an attempt multiple anomalies. For the first time, an environ has been made to provide a critical assessment of mental agent was found to be teratogenic in man current concepts and to identify areas in need of and was documented in a thoroughly convincing further investigation. manner. Since then, many important discoveries The scope of this volume and space limitations and significant developments have been made, par precluded discussion of and reference to all papers ticularly in the areas of environmental teratogenesis, of relevance or importance: a work of the present hereditary mechanisms, and prenatal diagnosis. nature must necessarily be selective. Some good In recent years, there has been an impressive papers have been left out or given relatively little surge of interest in the causes and prevention of consideration. It is my hope that the list of Further birth defects. Undoubtedly this resulted not only References will be consulted and should compensate from the thalidomide tragedy, but also from the for this lack of completeness.
This thoroughly revised and updated reference addresses the drugs and chemicals causing malformations and congenital anomalies in the human fetus-comprehensively reviewing experimental studies in animals and clinical data on human development, primarily in the organogenesis period. Addressing current public health concerns over teratogens, Chemically Induced Birth Defects, Third Edition covers and condenses the 2500 new publications on developmental toxicology that appear every year. Provides comprehensive identification of teratogens by chemical, generic, and trade names. Chemically Induced Birth Defects, Third Edition discusses the interrelation of over 4100 chemicals in current use, still in the experimental stage, or now obsolete covers recently available drugs, such as misoprostol and fluconazole utilizes the latest Good Laboratory Practices-conducted studies to evaluate specific agents investigates up-to-the-minute impairments of maternal homeostasis that may lead to teratogenesis surveys chemicals by use, distinguishing medicinals from industrial chemicals elucidates recent research on chemicals linked to endocrine disruption and more Containing over 10,000 citations from the literature, Chemically Induced Birth Defects, Third Edition deserves a place on the bookshelves of all toxicologists, teratologists, pediatricians, obstetricians, gynecologists, environmentalists, biochemists, oncologists, pharmacologists, endocrinologists, and upper-level undergraduate, graduate, and medical school students in these disciplines.
Updated to reflect the recent advances in this fast-changing field, this highly illustrated text examines the latest imaging modalities for prenatal diagnosis of fetal abnormalities. A team of leading authorities provides practical, step-by-step guidance on everything from detection and interpretation...to successful management approaches. Algorithms and management strategies throughout not only describe the features of abnormalities, but also show you how to arrive at a correct diagnosis through the use of color Doppler, 3-D ultrasound, and fetal MR. This 2nd Edition offers the essential practice-proven guidance you need to arrive at confident diagnoses in critical situations. It's a resource you'll turn to time and again! Includes more than 700 illustrations that clearly depict a full range of conditions. Focuses on image interpretation and, wherever possible, correlation of radiographic features with pathologic findings to provide the most accurate and reliable diagnosis possible. Uses a reader-friendly format to facilitate quick access to specific information. Includes new chapters reflecting major advances in magnetic resonance imaging and 3-D ultrasound. Presents an increased use of lists of differential diagnosis.
Essential Surgery is part of a nine volume series for Disease Control Priorities which focuses on health interventions intended to reduce morbidity and mortality. The Essential Surgery volume focuses on four key aspects including global financial responsibility, emergency procedures, essential services organization and cost analysis.
