How can a woman 35 yrs of ago do her best to prevent birth defects before becoming pregnant?
Answers:
Consult a doctor regarding what vitamins and mineral supplements would be good. Also, if you're truly concerned, an amniocentesis is an option.
take folate
eat well
avoid teratogens (thalidomide etc)
be immunised against rubella
avoid toxoplasmosis, rubella (immunised), Cytomegalovirus and Herpes virus
Start eating very healthy and start taking pre-natal vitamins ASAP.
folic acid i believe is the best vitamin to prevent birth defect its found in some foods also like stawberrys and sunflower seeds
All of the answers before me had some truth to them, but unfortunately there is really nothing specific you can do in order to prevent genetic defects like Down syndrome. Women are born with all the eggs already present in their ovaries, so the later in your life you get pregnant the longer the egg was exposed to possible environmental hazards. After you get pregnant you have options to check whether your baby has some genetic problems. In the first trimester the doctor can do CVS - good choice if you consider abortion - or amniocentesis in the second trimester. Some doctors would argue that the procedure itself has more risks than the actual statistical risk of having a baby with a genetic disease. After talking to your doctor it is your decision to make.
Having sad this, it is always a good idea to eat right and take folic acid before and during your pregnancy. Folic acid is to prevent spinal birth defects, which are unrelated to age.
Hope this helps!
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