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Babies with Birth Defects

Katherine Ayers
Mr. McGlashen
Calculus

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Each year there are at least 4,000,000 babies born. Of that number 1 in every 33 babies
are born with a birth defect. That means 120,000 babies are born with a birth defect each year in
the U.S. A birth defect is a problem that can be physically or mentally to a baby. They can
receive it from inheritance, randomly, or something bad the mother did such as drinking,
smoking, or doing drugs. Birth defects can be missing body parts, or a structural defect. Babies
born without a birth defect will be pretty normal and wont need as much intensive care. So for
example if a woman smokes when shes pregnant there is a 20% chance her child may be born
without an arm or leg, or have a breathing issue. Also, 50% have a high risk of being born with
displaced intestines. The sad part is that the probability of an infant surviving if the mom is
smoking while pregnant is 5%.
The 2013 birth rate was 11.39%, but it dropped by 1% from 2012s birth rate. In 1990
there was 4,179,000 births, and the birth rate was 16.7%. It has dropped by 5.31% in
2013. By 2015 if the birth rate continues to drop it will be dropped by at least 5.77%. In 2012 the
birth rate seemed to have slowed down by 1%. If things continue to decline, by 2015 the drop
will at least be by 7% from what it was in 1990. In

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Babies being born with a birth defect increased majorly in 2004-2006. The average
babies being born with birth defect ranged from 0.72 per 10,000 live births. That is at least threefourths of the population being born. So by 2004-2006 when it increased, it was almost more
than the population its self being born with a birth defect.