Learning for You & Others Like You

About half of birth defects are caused by genetic or environmental factors or a combination of the two; in the other half of cases, the cause is unknown. Our research teams are dedicated to better understanding the causes of birth defects, tracking how often they occur, and identifying ways we can prevent them. Whether we’re evaluating the safety of a medication taken in pregnancy, examining the molecular properties of breast milk that contribute to infant gut health, determining the prevalence of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders in school-age children, or monitoring cases of Zika-related birth defects in California, one thing is certain: we won’t stop researching until we have the answers that moms and babies deserve.