Thread by @WHO

Babies born with #BirthDefects are at risk of death and lifelong disability. Identifying 👶🏾👶🏼 with birth defects can help them receive the care they need.

A 🆕 guide provides practical tools for tracking birth defects:
👉 bit.ly/2VpmwFx

#BirthDefects affect 3-6% of 👶🏾👶🏼 around the 🌏.
A 🆕 resource for global birth defects tracking includes a Quick Reference Handbook for frontline healthcare providers:
👉 bit.ly/2VpmwFx

The most common #BirthDefects are:
🔺Congenital heart defects
🔺Neural tube defects
🔺Down syndrome
🔺Hemoglobin disorders (thalassemia and sickle cell disease)
🔺G6PD deficiency (Glucose -6-phosphate dehydrogenase)

bit.ly/2IViHo6

Vaccination 💉, adequate intake of folic acid or iodine through fortification of staple foods or supplementation, and adequate antenatal care throughout 🤰 can prevent #BirthDefects

bit.ly/2IViHo6

An estimated 295K newborns 👶🏾👶🏼 die within 4 weeks of birth every year due to #BirthDefects

👉 bit.ly/2IViHo6

Counting the numbers of birth defects, deaths and causes of deaths helps to understand:
✅ Magnitude of the problem
✅ How to prevent #BirthDefects
✅ Plan resources for health systems to improve the lives of children already living with birth defects

👉bit.ly/2VpmwFx

Many #BirthDefects go unreported worldwide, and surveillance systems, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, are weak or do not exist. By investing in birth defects surveillance countries can adequately provide care to children and families

👉Bit.ly/2VpmwFx

#BirthDefects tracking helps us understand how common birth defects are around the 🌍. Updated resources are available for birth defects tracking programs to improve their efforts, so we can ensure 👶🏾👶🏼 get the care they need

Bit.ly/2VpmwFx

Updated resource for #BirthDefects tracking programs worldwide now includes congenital infections. If you are looking to expand your activities to include infections like congenital syphilis and #Zika, use this 🆕 How-To Guide:

👉Bit.ly/2VpmwFx