January is Birth Defects Awareness Month.

This is a time to raise awareness about birth defects and highlight efforts to improve the health of people living with these conditions across their lifespan.

Birth defects are structural changes present at birth that can affect almost any part of the body. Advancements in medicine and surgery have led to better survival, and thankfully more children born with birth defects grow up to lead full lives.

Awareness of birth defects across the lifespan helps provide individuals, parents, and families affected by birth defects the information they need to seek proper care. It also gives healthcare professionals the evidence they need to deliver the best care for patients across all stages of life: before and during pregnancy, and in infancy, childhood, adolescence, and adulthood.