September 2009
Vol 3, Issue 4
Birth Defect News
National Birth Defect Registry
http://www.birthdefects.org/registry/privacy.asp
Eye of the Whale
National bestseller Douglas Carlton Abrams' new novel, Eye of the Whale, brings to vivid life the crucial issues that motivate our work here at Birth Defect Research for Children. This is a captivating ecological thriller about a marine biologist and a neonatologist couple who discover the true impact of toxins and the danger they pose to ourselves, our children, and the planet as a whole. This page-turning adventure story will move you with its beauty and inspire you with its message of hope for what we can accomplish together.

While writing Eye of the Whale, Abrams worked closely with leading scientists to uncover the shockingly true facts on which it is based. This powerful story will transform how readers see their relationship to other species and the fragile world in which we live.

Through a special arrangement with the author, Healthy Child is delighted to offer its members a free sample of the book: Click here. Read it to inspire your own work, then share the link and the book with your friends and family so that they will recognize the dangers we face and join you in your support.

For more on Doug, his books, and his research, please visit

Whole Foods Markets Supports BDRC
Whole Foods
On September 11, Leah Abell (left), the Marketing Director from Whole Foods Markets in Winter Park, Florida presented a check for more than $2,500 for BDRC to Betty Mekdeci, Rachel Thomas and David Mekdeci from BDRC's staff. The Whole Foods Market gave 5% of their profit from one day's receipts at the busy store. During the day, BDRC staffed a booth to talk with customers about the organization's work on birth defects.

Whole Foods offers the most abundant organic produce selection in Central Florida, a full-service seafood counter and well stocked natural meat case. The wine, cheese and beer corner is a local favorite, boasting the best selection of specialty cheeses in the area and hundreds of unique wines. The bakery is full of delicious pastries, hearth baked breads and gluten-free breads. Whole Foods also has a full line of nutritional supplements and a staff that is eager to help you find answers to all your natural health questions.

In This Issue
Lead Alters Brain
Overweight Babies
Birth Defect News Briefs
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National Birth Defect Registry

Healthy Baby Resource

Free Parent Information

Agent Orange & Birth Defects

Baby Green Genes Marketplace

Prenatal Exposure to Lead May Permanently Alter Brain Structure
Research Microscope

Childhood lead exposure can result in abnormalities in the wiring of the brain that persist into adulthood.

Exposure to low to moderate levels of lead before birth and as a child can permanently change the brain's structure in a way that may alter if and how it transmits messages, a new study finds. The conclusions are based upon comparisons of images of the brain's nerves and their protective coverings - collectively called white matter.
More differences in the nerve cells and the thickness of their coverings were found in adults who had higher lead exposure during development and as children. Some areas of the brain developed less robust nerve pathways and other parts had thicker or thinner coverings. More...


Are Prenatal Chemical Exposures Causing Babies to Be Overweight?
Baby Green Genes Banner
In 2006 scientists at the Harvard School of Public Health reported that the prevalence of obesity in infants under 6 months had risen 73 percent since 1980. Since these babies are consuming only formula or breast milk, and don't get a lot of exercise, the obvious explanations for obesity won't work for babies.

The search for the non-obvious has led to early-life exposure to traces of chemicals in the environment. Evidence has been steadily accumulating that certain hormone-mimicking pollutants, ubiquitous in the food chain, have two previously unsuspected effects. They act on genes in the developing fetus and newborn to turn more precursor cells into fat cells, which stay with you for life. And they may alter metabolic rate, so that the body hoards calories rather than burning them. More....


Environmental Birth Defect News Briefs


Washington compiling top 50 chemicals toxic to kids. In 2008, Washington became the first state in the nation to pass a law requiring manufacturers to report whether certain products contain chemicals toxic to children. More...

Is swimming pool chlorine fueling the allergy epidemic? Swimming in a chlorinated pool may boost the odds that a child susceptible to asthma and allergies will develop these problems, a study released today indicatesStudy finds pesticide link to childhood leukemia. More...

Chemical pollutants linked to fewer female births. High exposure to PCBs and PBBs, now-banned industrial chemicals that persist in the environment, may lead to fewer female births, a new study suggests. What this means for the public at large is unknown. More...

New briefs from Environmental Health News
Above the fold. News aggregated by www.EnvironmentalHealthNews.org


Betty Mekdeci
Birth Defect Research for Children
Give Direct

Birth Defect Research for Children offers families free information about their child's birth defects; links to other families whose children have similar conditions and connections to support groups, chat rooms and resources. BDRC also sponsors the nation's only National Birth Defect Registry collecting ongoing data for studies to discover the causes of birth defects. BDRC also educates families about how to have healthier babies through the online Healthy Baby Resource. All of these services are made possible through your support. Your help today will help us continue these services tomorrow. Click on Give Direct to make an online donation.


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