Doctors highlight awareness of birth defect prevention

Reproductive health, birth defect prevention and control, and fertility preservation were highlighted on Birth Defect Prevention Day on Thursday.

There are 200,000 to 300,000 Chinese born with deformities every year. In addition, others develop symptoms months or years after birth. There are 800,000 to 1.2 million children born with congenital disabilities every year, accounting for 4 to 6 percent of the nation's newborns.

To prevent and reduce birth defects, Shanghai has established a scientific education center for pregnancy and birth health, offering local residents one-stop and precise consultation and guidance on pre-pregnancy, prenatal, birth and newborn health.

In addition to birth detects, infertility and fertility preservation were also highlighted by medical experts.

Dr Di Wen, of Renji Hospital, told a seminar on maternal safety on Friday that it is important and urgent to build a birth-friendly society with favorable policies and services to encourage and protect people's reproductive demand and quality.

"Due to the social and economic change, females' birth age has been greatly postponed. It can result in a drop of successful pregnancy and birth, a rise of infertility, miscarriage, pregnancy-related complication and inborn deformity," Di said. "Both the public and medical professionals should have high awareness of the issue and create and offer more support, guidance and services to people to have successful pregnancies and deliver healthy children."

At the seminar, an alliance consisting of the Shanghai Center for Women and Children's Health, Shanghai Children's Hospital and Putuo District Maternity and Infant Hospital was established to offer services for women and children in the district.

Medical experts said pregnancy and birth was not only a woman's job and husbands should become more involved in the process.

Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital invited pregnant women and their husbands to visit its labor room, and witness doctors' practice in the simulation center to have better understanding of a maternity hospital and be better prepared for the upcoming delivery.

Some husbands experienced equipment that simulated the pain during delivery to give them a deeper understanding of what their wives would suffer.