What's effective for helping to prevent birth defects?

Prenatal care: Take care of yourself. Eat healthy. Avoid drugs, alcohol and cigarettes. But sometimes, birth defects happen despite all that, some are heriditary, and others are random.

Many things: 3 of every 100 babies born have a serious malformation that will require surgery or will have a major impact on their lives. Much of this risk can't be changed. But good prenatal health definitely does help - beginning before conception: no alcohol, no drugs, good nutrition, proper care of diabetes, early visits to your doc, & prenatal vitamins that include folic acid. http://www.marchofdimes.com.