Prevention of Handicap and the Health of WomenAbstract: The overall health, nutrition, and economic conditions of pregnant women affect the health of their unborn children. Medical science has done much to reduce mortality during childbirth and has helped prolong life of the population in general, yet the number of children born with handicaps is still uncomfortably high. Historically, the incidence of birth defects rises dramatically during times of war, famine, and disease. Recent studies conclude that mental retardation is significantly higher among low income groups. Diets high in fat, refined sugar and alcohol increase the incidence of serious disease in women. The educational level of individuals, closely linked to income levels, is also related to general health and frequency of birth defects. The British government seeks to lower the incidence of birth defects by improving perinatal and neonatal care. |
Contents
How many children are born handicapped? When | 4 |
Must the numbers of severely handicapped | 10 |
Should the prevention of handicap be a health service | 17 |
Copyright | |
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Common terms and phrases
antenatal armed forces average babies born births Source Britain British cervical cancer child health centres clinics Committee congenital malformations consumption correlation countries County Health Authorities deficiency diet doctors Down's syndrome England and Wales expenditure factors farmers Finland folic acid France gestation health of women health service heart disease higher highest death rates hospital immune competence important income increased infant mortality infection intake Irish Republic low birthweight lung cancer manual married women maternity mental retardation midwives mothers multiple sclerosis non-manual Norway nutrients obstetric occupational groups paediatric paediatricians parents percentage perinatal mortality poor population pregnancy prevalence prevention of handicap problems programmes pyridoxine reduced Registrar resistance to disease result risk Scotland seen in Figure severely handicapped shown in Figure SMRS social class Spain Statistics Supervisors and foremen Sweden Swedish U.S. National vitamins weeks West Germany wives women aged World Health Organization Wynn