What are Genetic Birth Defects?
Any abnormality of structure, function or metabolism present at birth will lead to physical or mental disabilities or death. Such disabilities are known as birth defects. They can be genetic also. They are responsible for the growth and development of the physical and biochemical systems. The child inherits its features through genes and it can acquire diseases through them as well. Chromosomes inside our cells play an important role in the physical and mental formation of a child. Single GeneDefects- If a single gene is faulty the child develops birth defects. One parent may have passed on the gene. This is called “dominant inheritance”. Some examples are Achondroplasia which is a type of dwarfism and Marfan Syndrome which is a connective tissue disease. An abnormality in one particular gene which the parents pass on to the child, although they do not suffer from the disease is known as “recessive inheritance”. Here conditions, such as Tay-Sachs disease, which is a fatal nervous syste
