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NEWS ABOUT: birth defect

US Weapons Caused Birth Defects in Fallujah

Study finds link to weapons like depleted uranium

(Newser) - US weapons likely caused a horrifying spike in birth defects among the people of Fallujah, according to doctors and a recent study of hair samples. Evidence has long connected American weapons like white phosphorous and depleted uranium to birth defects in the Iraqi city, which suffered devastating US attacks in... More »

Fisherman Nabs Cyclops Shark

But creature likely wouldn't have survived outside of womb

(Newser) - I've got my eye on you, cyclops shark. But you appear to be the real thing—or so say experts who have examined the one-eyed creature cut from the belly of a pregnant shark hooked out of the Gulf of California on a sport fishing expedition. "This is... More »

Agent Orange Cleanup Begins in Vietnam

US will join decontamination effort early next year

(AP) - Vietnam today started the first phase of a joint plan with former enemy the United States to clean up environmental damage leftover from the chemical defoliant Agent Orange, a lasting legacy from the Vietnam War. Vietnam's Ministry of Defense will begin sweeping areas around the Danang airport, a former... More »

Spina Bifida Breakthrough: Surgery Before Birth

Treatment in womb for birth defect more effective, study finds

(Newser) - Surgery on babies still in the womb has long largely been restricted to those who would die otherwise, but a landmark study is likely to lead to a surge of research into fetal surgery to treat birth defects. Surgeons found that repairing spina bifida—a debilitating spinal condition that 1,... More »

Newborn Kitten Has Two Faces

Birth defect reduces chance tiny feline will survive

(Newser) - A newborn kitten is turning heads because she has an unusual birth defect—two faces. The funky feline, inventively named Two Face by her startled owner, has a condition called diprosopus , her veterinarian tells WCHS , the ABC affiliate in Charleston, WV. "I gave her about a 50-50 prognosis, and... More »

Birth Defects Linked to US Fallujah Fighting

Parents, docs complain of upsurge of problems since attack

(Newser) - Iraqi parents and doctors are attributing an upsurge in birth defect problems in Fallujah to a major US military offensive there. Doctors report seeing as many as three cases of birth defects a day now. The US denies a problem exists. "No studies to date have indicated environmental issues... More »

Iraqi War Zone Sees Big Spike in Birth Defects

Fallujah reports unusually high rate of abnormalities

(Newser) - Doctors in Fallujah are seeing an alarming rise in the number of birth defects and early life cancers. They have no definitive evidence, but suspicion has naturally fallen on toxic materials left behind after years of modern warfare, reports the Guardian . The rate of birth defects—including multiple tumors, nervous... More »

Birth Defects May Be Tied to Pesticide Levels

(Newser) - Babies conceived between April and July—the period when surface-water concentrations of pesticides are at their highest—run an increased risk of having a birth defect, Reuters reports. “Our study didn't prove a cause and effect link,” the lead researcher said, but “the fact that birth defects... More »

Birth Defects, IVF Linked, but How Linked?

Study finds increased genetic issues among test tube babies

(Newser) - Though the octuplets have pushed in vitro fertilization into the spotlight, there's still one question that's going largely unasked, reports the New York Times: "What is the chance that an IVF baby will have a birth defect?" Though a November study provided preliminary evidence—of 9,584 babies with... More »

Go Ahead, Marry Your Cousin

Relatively small chance of birth defects doesn't warrant the taboo, says new report

(Newser) - Laws against first cousins marrying are unnecessary and should be repealed, argue two scientists in a recent Public Science of Biology editorial. The risk of genetic defects in children born of cousin marriages is estimated at 2%-3% higher than in the general population, Wired reports, but no greater than that... More »

In Vitro Linked to Birth Defects

Study finds higher rate of certain defects among babies born with help of technology

(Newser) - Babies conceived with the help of medical technology are much more likely to suffer from several serious birth defects, a new study finds. Infants whose mothers used in vitro fertilization or intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection were around twice as likely to have heart defects or cleft palates and four times as... More »

Turf-Makers Sued Over Lead

As fake grass ages, toxin levels 20 times legal limit

(Newser) - California has sued three top turf-makers, claiming they are deliberately hiding the fact that their products contain lead, the Los Angeles Times reports. State law requires labeling of products containing the metal, which gives a "natural" green color to fake grass. Lead can cause cancer, birth defects, and damage... More »

Bipolar Risk Rises With Father's Age

Kids with dads over 30 have greater chance of developing disorder

(Newser) - Children born to fathers older than 30 have an 11% higher chance of developing bipolar disorder than kids with younger dads, and the risk increases with the father’s age, new research reveals. The rate climbs to 37% of offspring of fathers aged 55, Reuters reports, compared to the overall... More »

Diabetic Moms Linked to Birth Defects

40 types of abnormality more common in mothers with disease

(Newser) - Mothers who have diabetes before they are pregnant are three to four times more likely to have a child with birth defects, the AP reports. A CDC study investigating birth abnormalities found more than 40 types of defects affecting the internal organs and spine that were significantly more common in... More »

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