Occasionally during the delivery process, a birth defect like cleft lip is discovered, which went undetected on antenatal ultrasound. In these instances, the parents, who are dealing with an unexpected outcome, may instinctively look for something the mother may have been exposed to during pregnancy. Without a doubt, certain environmental toxins can cause a plethora of birth defects, but many birth defects are considered multifactorial, meaning that multiple causes contributed to the process rather than one specific cause.
Alcohol is the most widely available drug in the world. Ninety per cent of Western adults indulge – even if only occasionally. Alcohol can seriously damage a developing baby. If a woman regularly drinks more than 12 units of alcohol per week (for example, 2 units per day) during pregnancy, her baby will suffer growth retardation and birthweight will be lower than normal.
