Birth Defects

	Chromosome Disorders
	Physical Malformations
	Disorders of the Brain and Nervous System
	Digestive System Disorders
	Heart, Nerve and Blood Irregularities

Birth defects are generally divided into two groups: those that are damaged during the birth and congenital abnormalities. Babies that are damaged at the time of birth, are by far the smaller number. These injuries normally occur if the baby is premature or in the case of there being complications with the birth, but fortunately this is very rare.

The majority group of birth defects are the congenital abnormalities, which occur during conception or at some stage during the development of the foetus. These abnormalities may be visible at birth, or may not be noticed until the child is a couple of months old.