Prof. Dr. Sohan Raj Tater
About 1,50,000 babies are born each year with birth defects. The parents of one out of every 28 babies receive the frightening news that their baby has a birth defect.
A birth defect is an abnormality of structure, function or metabolism (body chemistry) present at birth that result in physical or mental disability, or is fatal. Several thousand different birth defects have been identified. Birth defects are the leading cause of death in the first year of life.
A single abnormal gene can cause birth defects.
Every human being has 30-35000 genes that determine traits like eye and hair colour, as well as direct the growth and development of every part of our physical and bio-chemical systems. Genes are packaged into each of the 46 chromosomes inside our cells. Each child gets half its genes from each parent.
Abnormality in the number of structure of chromosomes can cause numerous birth defects. Due to an error that occurred when an egg or sperm cell was developing, a baby can be born with too many or too few chromosomes, or with one or more chromosomes that are broken or rearranged. Down syndrome, in which a baby is born with an extra chromosome 21, is one of the most common chromosomal abnormalities. Chromosomal abnormalities are due to karma of jiva taking birth in that particular womb. Affected children have varying degrees of mental retardation, characteristic facial features and often, heart defects and other problems. Babies born with extra copies of chromosome 18 or 13 have multiple birth defects and usually die in the first month of life. Missing or extra sex chromosome (X and Y) affect sexual development and may cause infertility. Growth abnormalities, and behavidural and learning problems. However most affected individuals have essentially normal lives.
Doctoral Thesis, JVBU