BRENTWOOD, TN – “Many potentially devastating birth defects can be prevented,” that’s the message leading researchers in the field want the public to know as the world prepares for the inaugural “World Birth Defects Day,” which will take place on Tuesday, March 3. The commemorative day is being spearheaded by international maternal and infant health advocates.

MotherToBaby, a service of the international non-profit Organization of Teratology Information Specialists (OTIS), and the Teratology Society, both professional associations hailed as the premier sources for authoritative information related to birth defects research, reproductive science and toxicology, have partnered to help spread the message about alcohol and folic acid fortification – two major issues currently keeping birth defect rates high world-wide. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1 in 33 babies are born with a birth defect in the U.S. each year.

Some of the most devastating birth defects are associated with alcohol consumption during pregnancy, according to MotherToBaby experts who provide free, evidence-based information through a toll-free hotline about medications, vaccines, drugs, alcohol and other exposures during pregnancy and breastfeeding. “It’s thought that Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is the most common recognizable cause of mental retardation,” said Kenneth Lyons Jones, MD, MotherToBaby past-president and one of two doctors who first identified FAS in 1973. Children with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome are born small, have problems with learning and behavior, and may have other birth defects. “It’s totally preventable by avoiding alcohol during pregnancy, yet prenatal alcohol exposure still affects 1 in 100 Americans each year,” he added.

“Making sure women have access to folic acid regularly is another major issue around the world that could prevent birth defects,” said Mary Alice Smith, PhD, Teratology Society president and professor of developmental and reproductive toxicology at the University of Georgia. At least 400 mcg folic acid daily during pregnancy has been shown to prevent up to 70% of neural tube defects, according to Smith. Neural tube defects are malformations of the spinal cord that are serious and can be life-threatening. Two of the most common neural tube defects are spina bifida and anencephaly, and occur in about 1 in every 1,000 live births.

“Because the neural tube closes in the first month after conception, a time when many women do not yet realize they are pregnant, it is important for women to be taking folic acid supplements before pregnancy, or if they think they might become pregnant,” said Smith. She added that while some grains, like bread and pasta, are required to be fortified with folic acid in the U.S., ensuring more foods are fortified, like corn masa flour, could prevent even more neural tube defects. “The bottom line – we could all do more to raise awareness about this vital issue. The health outcome of babies being born today, tomorrow, and for years to come depend on it.”

MotherToBaby is a suggested resource by many agencies including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Office of Women’s Health. The public can be connected with bilingual (English/Spanish) teratogen information specialists at MotherToBaby and receive personalized risk assessments, education and counseling by calling toll-free 1-866-626-6847. The MotherToBaby website also houses a library of fact sheets on medications and other exposures during pregnancy and while breastfeeding located at www.MotherToBaby.org.

The Teratology Society consists of 660 members specializing in cell and molecular biology, developmental biology and toxicology, reproduction and endocrinology, nutritional biochemistry, genetics, and epidemiology, as well as the clinical disciplines of prenatal medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics, neonatology, medical genetics, and teratogen risk counseling. In addition, it publishes the scientific journal, Birth Defects Research, Parts A, B, and C. Scientists interested in becoming a Teratology Society member are encouraged to visit www.Teratology.org.

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

Brentwood, TN – MotherToBaby and Big Belli LLC, the production company behind the latest pregnancy-focused documentary, “40 Weeks The Movie,” have partnered to provide the women who view the film as well as visit BigBelli.com with expert information regarding exposures during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

The film, created by Christopher Henze’s team of seasoned and award winning talent, including executive producer Kurt Engfehr (“Bowling for Columbine”, “Fahrenheit 9/11”, “Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead”), casting director Lisa Singer (“The Bachelorette”, “Queer Eye”), and editor April Merl (“2012: A Time for change,” “The Yes Men Fix the World”), follows the week-to-week journeys of parents-to-be.

The film is being shown theatrically throughout the United States. At some screenings, including the April 15th screening in South Hadley, MA, MotherToBaby will be providing audience members with educational materials about medications and more during pregnancy and breastfeeding. In some instances, MotherToBaby experts will also be on hand to answer audience’s questions. To find a screening near you, click here.

The grassroots effort and popularity the film company has generated for the film so far has resulted in creating a web-based extension of filmed information to empower, educate and create a sense of community for expectant moms. Over the next few months, several MotherToBaby experts will be featured in www.Bigbelli.com’s informative articles to help provide insight into topics such as marijuana during pregnancy, as well as diseases like Crohn’s Disease and post-partum depression.

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Administrative, Media, Partnership, and Membership Inquiries

For media and partnership inquiries, please contact Nicole Chavez:

Phone | 619.368.3259
Email | nchavez@mothertobaby.org

For research sponsorship or trade show exhibition inquiries, please contact MotherToBaby Pregnancy Studies:

Phone | 877.311.8972
Email | MotherToBaby@health.ucsd.edu

For international organizations dedicated to birth defects prevention, please visit our International page.

(Salt Lake City, UT) – For three decades, the Pregnancy Risk Line’s (PRL) MotherToBaby service has helped mothers and health care providers keep babies safe during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. On May 30, the program celebrates 30 years of service and will take its 230,000th call, give or take a few.

The experts at MotherToBaby answer questions about a variety of potential exposures like foods, prescriptions, OTC medications, diseases, and immunizations a baby can be exposed to through Mom. “Health care providers ask about pain medications, moms want to know if it’s safe to paint the nursery, even grandmothers call to ask whether mom is doing too much exercise,” says program coordinator Lynn Martinez. “Every call is important. We’re happy to be helping families feel safer and navigate through a stressful time.”

Geneticist John C. Carey, M.D., founder and MotherToBaby medical director, remembers getting the idea for the service in 1979 when he first started his practice in pediatric genetics. “We struggled with helping moms without making them feel guilty about birth defects, not caused by the exposure they had, but by genetic factors they had no control over,” said Carey. “The service still faces some of the same challenges today,” he added. “With access to information more available but not always reliable, moms feel the risk to baby is higher than what has been proven, and providers often find conflicting information in published research.”Experts at MotherToBaby review new studies, compare findings to past studies, and work with professionals from other disciplines to determine the risks for exposures.

“The personalized risk assessments we provide help clinicians and mothers determine the best course for each situation,” Martinez said, “Sometimes there are risky conditions and risky medications, such as using an antiepileptic medication versus the danger of leaving the mom’s epilepsy uncontrolled. We provide the latest evidence-based information to help the primary care provider and mom make an informed choice, together.”

Former First Lady Norma Matheson was on hand 30 years ago and said hello to the first caller. She is happy to return to help celebrate the anniversary. “The Risk Line has been a reassuring resource for moms who just want to do what’s best for their growing baby,” said the First Lady. I’m proud of the work MotherToBaby staff have been doing for Utah mothers-to-be and wish them another 30 year of helping save babies’ lives.”

PRL’s MotherToBaby is a joint partnership between the Utah Department of Health and the University of Utah. It is one of 16 member services of the North American Organization of Teratology Information Specialists, now known as MotherToBaby. The service is open for calls Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. at 1-800-822-2229 or 801-328-2229. For more information visit https://mothertobaby.org//a> or follow them on Facebook and Twitter.

Experts Spread Message About ‘Preventable Birth Defects’ On First-Ever World Birth Defects Day

Helping You Educate Your Pregnant and Breastfeeding Patient