• 4,000-5,000 children with birth defects, 650 deaths before 1st birthday 

Co-Chair of the Expert Committee on Birth Defects of the Sri Lanka Medical Association and the Colombo Medical Faculty Dean, Prof. Vajira Dissanayake said that annually, about 1,000 children are born with congenital heart defects. 

Fielding a question from The Daily Morning at a media briefing held at the Health Promotion Bureau, Prof. Dissanayake said that 40 per cent of children are born with congenital abnormalities. “So, that would mean that every year, about 1,000 children are born with congenital heart disease”. 

Prof. Dissanayake observed that even in Sri Lanka, a lot of women get pregnant when they had advanced in years – in their late 30s or 40s at a time when they are more vulnerable to diseases like hypertension and other non- communicable diseases (NCDs) which require a large amount of medication that are harmful to the developing foetus, adding that therefore, it is important to plan the pregnancy after a discussion with a medical professional so that the medication could be less harmful to the pregnancy. 

Speaking on genetic causes, he said that the only way to know that was by looking at the family history. “Young couples should inquire into their family history and find out if there has been anyone with a birth defect in the family. Couples should pay special attention if it is a consanguineous marriage which could lead to bad genetic defects which cause birth defects. Such couples should see a geneticist and a general physician to seek advice so that they can be properly examined and receive proper advice. 

There are ways and means of overcoming genetic defects”. Prof. Dissanayake noted that such hurdles could be overcome through assisted reproductive technology (ART) and in-vitro fertilisation. “Those who have already had a child with an abnormality should not wait till the next pregnancy to wonder if there is a genetic problem”. Prof. Dissanayake said that such parents should obtain investigative services as the child is born and before the child dies, to find out what the genetic defect is. 

Meanwhile, Consultant Community Physician - Maternal Care Unit of the Family Health Bureau, Dr. Sanjeeva Godakandage said that annually, there 4,000-5,000 children born with birth defects in the island. Of them, about 650 children die before reaching their first birthday due to serious birth defects. 

He noted however that it is important to receive the rubella vaccination before pregnancy, while encouraging planned pregnancies and the intake of folic acid at least three months prior to conception in order to reduce neural tube defects. He noted that there should be the effective management of diabetes and obesity before and during pregnancy.