Supriya works in a school. She was coming home during the recent solar eclipse when she was stopped by an acquaintance. "Don't you know being out during the eclipse will cause the baby to be abnormal?” she was scolded. Supriya is genuinely concerned. Has she jeopardized her unborn child? She has no cause to worry. We know that birth defects are not caused by eclipses.

Just about every mother-to-be wants to know, "Is my baby normal?" Luckily, most babies are born healthy. Out of every 100 babies born, only two or three have a serious defect. Some defects can be detected before birth, and a few can be prevented.

What is a birth defect? 

When you think about how just two cells, the egg and the sperm, combine to form a complex human being, comprising billions of cells, it is breathtaking to imagine how many things can go wrong but do not. A birth defect or congenital disorder is something abnormal that is present at birth. It can vary from mild to severe.

A birth defect can be detected before birth, at birth, or any time after birth. Some defects are easy to see right away. Special tests may be needed to find others, such as heart defects or hearing loss. Some problems may not be detected until later in a person's life.