National Birth Defects Prevention Network and BabyKick
Call Attention to Infections and Pregnancy
MANHATTAN BEACH, CA (January 21, 2008) – babybick and the babykick Foundation are joining the National Birth Defects Prevention Network (Network) to share the message that a mother’s health before, during and after pregnancy is an important foundation to having a healthy baby who grows up healthy. “Preventing Infections in Pregnancy” is the theme of National Birth Defects Prevention Month this January.
Good health habits for everyone include knowing your family history and genetic risks, seeing a doctor, taking care to not expose yourself to diseases and managing health problems. For women, these habits should also include taking a multivitamin with 400 mcg of folic acid daily starting before she gets pregnant.
“We are excited to be part of this national awareness campaign. We hope to reach women, their families and health care providers in our state with this important message,” said Dr. Diep Nguyen, president of babybick.
“Women who are pregnant or planning to get pregnant need to be especially careful,” said Nguyen. “Good habits to avoid infection include frequent handwashing, careful handling of raw meats, staying away from dirty cat litter, and not handling pet rodents or their bedding. Women should also talk with their doctor about testing for infections like group B strep and Hepatitis B. The Network is working with doctors and other health care providers around the country to encourage more education for women about infections that can harm a baby before it is born. There are more than 60 million women of childbearing age in the United States. They need to hear this message.”
The Network has over 250 members from all states, Washington, DC and Puerto Rico. It collects and exchanges information about birth defects and their prevention, encourages research and provides technical support to state and local birth defects monitoring programs. To learn more about the Network and Birth Defects Prevention Month, please visit www.nbdpn.org. BabyKick is a member of the Network and works to promote healthy pregnancies for all moms and prevent pregnancy complications through awareness, education and advocacy of kick counting.
To learn more, please contact babybick at 1-877-422-2954 or info@babykick.com or visit our web site www.babybick.com or www.babykickalliance.org. Visit http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/bd/abc.htm for additional tips on how to stay healthy during pregnancy and reduce the risk of birth defects.
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