MotherToBaby Launches Unique ‘Text Counseling’ for Reliable Info About Exposure Risks to Baby

BRENTWOOD, TN – As the world prepares to recognize Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) Awareness Day on September 9th, MotherToBaby, a service of the international non-profit Organization of Teratology Information Specialists (OTIS), launches a way for expectant moms to have free expert information about the risks of alcohol and other exposures to baby at their fingertips – via text.

“The risks to baby of being exposed to things like alcohol, drugs or medications during a woman’s pregnancy or breastfeeding can really vary depending on mom’s metabolism, timing of the exposure, and whole host of other factors,” said Lori Wolfe, MS, a certified genetic counselor and director of MotherToBaby’s North Texas affiliate. “Mom really needs the latest information tailored to her particular circumstance in order to make informed decisions, along with her health care provider, about her and baby’s health. We’re now offering that research-based info in the most convenient way possible,” she added.

Expecting moms will simply need to text their questions in English or Spanish to 855-999-3525 to be connected to a bilingual specialist in the field of teratology – the study of exposures that cause birth defects. Standard text messaging rates may apply depending on an individual’s phone plan. Those who do use the new texting service are encouraged to check with their carrier first.

“When someone goes searching the internet, it can be a scary place that often highlights worst-case scenarios only,” explained Al Romeo, RN, PhD and teratogen information specialist at MotherToBaby’s Utah affiliate. “We’re not the internet. We’re registered nurses, genetic counselors and teratogen information specialists on the other end of your cell phone answering texts with the most up-to-date evidence you often can’t find online.”

MotherToBaby, which consists of 14 services housed at universities, hospitals and government institutions across the country, provides free, evidence-based, personalized risk assessments, education and counseling regarding the effects of exposures like prescription and over-the-counter drugs, alcohol, smoking, illicit substances, vaccines, beauty products, herbal supplements, chemicals and more during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. In addition to the new text counseling component, the public can be connected with a bilingual MotherToBaby expert by calling toll-free 1-866-626-6847. The MotherToBaby website also houses a library of fact sheets located at www.MotherToBaby.org.

More than 100,000 women and their health care providers seek information about birth defects prevention from MotherToBaby every year. MotherToBaby has been able to launch new outreach efforts to reach underserved populations, including new communication technologies, through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration.

About FASD Awareness Day

FASD Awareness Day has been recognized on the ninth day of the ninth month since 1999 as a reminder for women to abstain from drinking alcohol during the nine months of pregnancy. As many as 1 out of every 100 babies are estimated to be affected by prenatal alcohol exposure, which can result in a range of neurobehavioral disabilities. FASD awareness events also traditionally take place across the nation all month long each September.

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Media Contact: Nicole Chavez, 619-368-3259, nchavez@MotherToBaby.org. Interviews in Spanish can also be arranged.

Free, personalized, and confidential exposure information services

Please use this form to email a MotherToBaby expert. Our information specialists can help answer your questions or concerns about exposures (like a medication, vaccine, chemical, or health condition) during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Our information specialists are available for consultation from Monday through Friday from 8 am – 7 pm ET. If it is after-hours, please expect a reply by the next business day. We look forward to hearing from you!

NOTE. MotherToBaby counseling services are available only for residents of the United States and its territories. For pregnancy and breastfeeding exposure information services that are available in other regions of the world, please visit: https://mothertobaby.org/international/. If you experience any issues using our Email An Expert form (e.g., a zip code error), please notify us by sending an email to ContactUs@mothertobaby.org. In that event, you can reach one of our experts via the following alternative methods. Please use our alternative forms, if you are a resident of the United States, the U.S. territories, or Canada and would like to join a pregnancy study or refer a patient to a study.

Ask An Expert.

Call | 866.626.6847 | Toll-free
Text | 855.999.3525 | Standard messaging rates may apply.
Chat | Click the Live Chat window in the bottom corner of your screen

What happens when a researcher studying pregnancy becomes a patient navigating her own autoimmune diagnosis? In this powerful episode of The MotherToBaby Podcast, genetic counselor Chris Stallman, CGC, sits down with Dr. Christina Longo, Assistant Professor at the University of Montreal and perinatal epidemiologist, to discuss her lived experience managing rheumatoid arthritis during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Dr. Longo shares how her first diagnosis during pregnancy reshaped her research focus—from child outcomes to the importance of maternal health, mental wellbeing, and self-advocacy. She opens up about the difficult decisions she faced around medication safety, breastfeeding, and treatment during pregnancy, and how patient-led communities and research studies helped her find strength and clarity.

Listeners will learn:

• How autoimmune diseases can change during pregnancy and postpartum
• Why controlled treatment plans matter before conception
• The emotional and physical toll of navigating chronic illness while pregnant
• The importance of participating in pregnancy studies to improve care for future parents

Whether you’re living with a chronic condition, supporting someone who is, or counseling patients through pregnancy, this episode sheds light on the urgent need for research, empathy, and balanced care for both parent and baby.

🔗 Learn more or join a pregnancy study.

💡 Have questions about exposures during pregnancy or breastfeeding?
You can contact MotherToBaby for free, confidential, evidence-based information:
📞 Call: 866-626-6847
📱 Text: 855-999-3525
💻 Visit: https://mothertobaby.org/

How do public health experts detect emerging risks to pregnancies before they become widespread crises? In this episode of The MotherToBaby Podcast, host Chris Stallman, genetic counselor, mom of four, and teratogen information specialist, sits down with Dr. Amanda Elmore, Assistant Professor of Maternal & Child Health at the University of South Florida, to explore the powerful role of birth defect surveillance.

Dr. Elmore shares how her career in public health began during the Zika virus epidemic—reviewing medical records of exposed infants to help the CDC understand the real-world impact of in-utero exposure. She explains how surveillance systems track structural and functional birth anomalies, serve as early warning systems for new and emerging exposures, and shape everything from clinical care and referral services to national public health policy.

The conversation also dives into:

• How surveillance led to rapid public health responses during the Zika crisis
• What neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) reveals about opioid exposure during pregnancy
• The push for real-time data using electronic medical records and health information exchanges
• How machine learning and natural language processing may transform how cases are identified
• Why a life-course perspective matters for children born with birth defects
• How surveillance data supports funding, prevention efforts, and long-term family services

Dr. Elmore also shares her vision for the future: a more standardized, timely, and integrated national system that can better support prevention, research, and lifelong care for affected children and families.

This episode offers a behind-the-scenes look at how data quietly powers some of the most important protections for moms and babies.

💡 Have questions about exposures during pregnancy or breastfeeding?
You can contact MotherToBaby for free, confidential, evidence-based information:
📞 Call: 866-626-6847
📱 Text: 855-999-3525
💻 Visit: https://mothertobaby.org/

In this special Folic Acid Awareness Week episode of The MotherToBaby Podcast, host and genetic counselor Chris Stallman sits down with Dr. Elisabeth Marnik, PhD—a biomedical scientist, mom, and science communicator better known as @ScienceWhizLiz on Instagram. Together, they unpack the science behind folic acid, its critical role in early pregnancy, and why it’s one of the most important (yet misunderstood) nutrients for people of childbearing age.

From real talk on neural tube defect prevention to busting social media myths like “folic acid causes tongue ties” or “MTHFR mutations mean folic acid isn’t safe,” this episode is packed with science-backed insights and practical guidance for both healthcare providers and future parents alike.

🧠 Key Topics Covered:

• What folic acid is and why it matters for pregnancy
• The difference between folic acid and folate
• When folic acid is most critical (hint: before you know you’re pregnant!)
• Myths and misinformation about folic acid—especially on social media
• What the research really says about MTHFR gene mutations
• How to support patients with dietary restrictions or supplement concerns
• Why more folic acid is not always better

👩‍⚕️ Guest Bio:
Dr. Elisabeth Marnik is a biomedical scientist with a PhD from Tufts University and The Jackson Laboratory, where she studied immune system function, autoimmune disease, and vaccine response. She’s also a passionate science communicator who makes complex topics clear and relatable for thousands of followers as @ScienceWhizLiz on Instagram.

🔗 Resources Mentioned:

• Learn more about folic acid: MotherToBaby Folic Acid Fact Sheet
• Contact a MotherToBaby specialist (free & confidential):

  • Call: 866-626-6847
  • Text: 855-999-3525
  • Chat: MotherToBaby.org

• Follow Dr. Marnik: @ScienceWhizLiz on Instagram

💬 Have a Question or Topic Idea?
We’d love to hear from you! Email us at contactus@mothertobaby.org.

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Help us keep this podcast free and accessible. Join our monthly giving community, Encircle, to support parents and families with trusted pregnancy and breastfeeding information. Learn more at MotherToBaby.org/Donate