Dr. Marjorie Greenfield
Specializing in pregnancy and birth.
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 Ask Dr. Greenfield
Fears of Fetal Deformities | | | QUESTION | | | Dear Dr. Greenfield,
I watch a lot of talk shows, and I see kids that are deformed. Would the doctor know if something was wrong with the fetus before birth? With birth defects like having two genitals or having no neck, is there any way to know if something was wrong with your child before he is born?— Addie | | | ANSWER |
July 18, 2001 | | | Dear Addie,
Virtually everyone worries about her baby while she is expecting. When you watch talk shows, you can see such odd and disturbing things that it only adds fuel to these common concerns.
While there are never any guarantees that the baby will be "perfect," getting your routine testing like the triple check test, having an ultrasound, taking good care of yourself, and getting good prenatal care can help give you assurance that things are going as well as possible.
I do suggest, however, that at least until the baby is born you stay away from watching talk shows about children with problems and from other situations that are guaranteed to feed into your fears. And feel free to share your concerns with your practitioner, so he or she can address them more specifically.— by Marjorie Greenfield, M.D. |
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