A toll free hotline to help pregnant women avoid substances that can cause birth defects just launched. “Pregnancy is such an important and vulnerable time in a woman's life. We want to be here to provide support and be a resource for any woman or health care professional who has questions or concerns regarding potentially harmful exposures,” said Hope Northrup, M.D., professor and director of the Division of Medical Genetics in the Department of Pediatrics at the UTHealth Medical School, in a press release.
Some of the substances that can endanger unborn children are alcohol, tobacco, and caffeine, and medications such as lithium for depression and bipolar disease; lisinopril for high blood pressure; and Accutane or Retin-A for acne, according to a statement from the University of Texas. Infections, such as syphilis, german measles, and herpes, also pose a danger to fetuses. Counseling and prevention could reduce birth defects by 6 to 10 percent, according to the university. Birth defects are a leading cause of infant death in Texas. Not all are preventable or from known causes.
The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) started the helpline using a grant to Northrup from the Texas Department of State Health Services. The number is 1-855-884-7248.
