Environmental Factors and Birth Defects

A staggering 8 million children are born with birth defects every year. Nine out of ten of the most serious cases are born in low- and middle-income countries—which, unfortunately, is where the largest population of Black families reside. From Down syndrome to heart defects, birth defects occur in different forms and severities. It is not surprising that the World Health Organization recognizes January as Birth Defect Awareness Month.

Awareness is an important public health tool that can help people living with birth defects and other health conditions to widen their networks, equip the rest of us with a better understanding of their conditions, and enlighten us on the different ways to protect ourselves and prevent the reoccurrence of such conditions.

For example, while birth defects were previously thought to be heavily reliant on the mother’s age, lifestyle, and health, newer studies have shown that the man’s age can also increase the risk of birth defects. Beyond the age and health of the parents, several environmental factors have also been known to increase the risk of birth defects—and we’ll tell you all about them.

Environmental factors and chemicals that can cause birth defects

Exposure to certain chemicals in the environment can negatively interfere with the development of the fetus and result in birth defects. These harmful environmental substances are either ingested, inhaled, or pass through the skin and affect critical cellular processes like DNA replication and repair or cause mutation in the DNA which often result in abnormal development of fetus’ organs or body parts. To lower the risk of birth defects, here are chemicals you should avoid contact with when pregnant or if one is deciding to become pregnant.

Alcohol

Binging on alcohol during pregnancy can interfere with the development of the pregnancy leading to a condition called fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs). This condition is marked by cognitive, physical, and behavioral impairment due to the meddling of alcohol with the development of the baby’s brain. A review of 29 prospective studies in the United States found that Fetal Alcohol Syndrome was 10 times higher among low socioeconomic Black women compared to middle-class white women.

Prenatal alcohol exposure remains the leading cause of neurodevelopmental disorders and birth defects in the United States. It is sad because this is preventable. Prenatal alcohol exposure has also been linked to cleft lip, heart artery abnormalities, and neural tube defects. Interestingly, new studies suggests that drinking can compromise sperm quality and children born to men who drink alcohol before conception are at higher risk of developing the aforementioned defects. In one study, 40% of babies with birth defects had fathers who used alcohol at the time their partner got pregnant.

Lead and other heavy metals

When a pregnant woman is exposed to lead and other heavy metals, her risk of miscarriage, stillbirth, and birth defects is increased. Also, when a man is exposed to lead, it can cause sperm abnormalities. Birth defects can occur when an abnormal sperm fertilizes an ovum—especially if the lead caused changes to the sperm’s DNA. Working in construction and demolition industries, auto repair or car battery reclaiming plant, mining fields, and removing paint from old buildings increases exposure to lead and other heavy metals. Data from the Construction Employers Association shows that 11.1% of their members are Black or African American.

People who live in in older and/or government issued apartments with peeling lead paints are most at risk of exposure to lead. In the UK, 44% of Black people are more likely to live in social housing compared to 6% of white people while in the US, white people are at least 10 percentage points more likely to own a home than Black people. Lead and other heavy metals can cross through the placenta during pregnancy, accumulate in the developing fetus, and alter cell division and organ development which can cause abnormalities in the baby’s development. Other heavy metals you should avoid when pregnant include cadmium, cobalt, mercury, and nickel.

Exposure to radiation

High-energy radiations (like electromagnetic waves and nuclear radiations) can cause damage to the DNA of the developing fetus which could lead to birth defects. The effect of high-energy radiation is worse during the early stages of the fetus’ organ development. The severity of the damage caused by ionizing radiation will depend on the dose, duration of exposure, and the stage of the pregnancy. Just like heavy metals, radiation can cause birth defects capable mutations in the sperm which may be passed to the child during conception.

Pregnant women are exposed to radiations every day including from the sun, oven, computer screens, and television sets. However, most of these radiations are harmless and the duration of exposure is short. Radon gas is the largest, natural occurring ionizing radiation that humans are exposed to. They have been implicated with lung cancer.

Pollutants and other harmful chemicals

Exposure to hazardous chemicals like pesticides and herbicides have been identified as potential cause of birth defects. It is believed that certain substances contained in these chemicals induce oxidative stress, inflammation or disrupt endocrine functions. Prenatal pesticide exposure may be linked with neural tube defects. Paternal exposure to pollutants can also lead to damage to the sperm’s DNA which may lead to birth defects when the damaged sperm fertilizes an egg.

A study conducted by Harvard University’s school of public health showed that areas with above-average Black and minority population have been “consistently exposed” to higher average particulate matter (PM2.5). In 2016, the researchers found that Black population were exposed to average PM2.5 concentrations at a level 13.7% higher than white population.

Although our environment is filled with chemicals and substances that can lead to birth defects, we should always strive to lower our level and duration of exposure. Where possible, we should leverage technologies to monitor the level of harmful chemicals in our environment. Here are 5 tools that can come in handy to detect chemical exposure in your homes to keep you and your unborn child safer:

Radon detectors: to ensure the radiation at home is at safe levels
Air purifier: to get rid of particulate matter in the home
Formaldehyde detector: these chemicals can be found in furniture and carpets
Carbon Monoxide detector: called silent killers because they cut off oxygen to the brain
Water quality tester: checks for acidity, alkalinity, and total dissolved solids

Also, lifestyle changes like quitting alcohol and other addictive substances and the use of umbrella when going outdoors on sunny days can go a long way to minimize instances of birth defects.

For more reading

https://www.who.int/southeastasia/news/detail/02-03-2023-world-birth-defects-day-many-birth-defects-one-voice

https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/brochures-and-fact-sheets/understanding-fetal-alcohol-spectrum-disorders

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3111952

https://www.ceacisp.org/news/construction-worker-demographics-us