Baby risks, explained clinically
A structured, reference-based overview of major risks from conception through the newborn period—what increases risk, what reduces risk, how problems are detected, and what treatments/outcomes commonly look like.
How to use this site
AudiencePregnant people, partners, and clinicians-in-training. Not personal medical advice.
ScopeConception → pregnancy (by trimester) → delivery/transition → neonatal/NICU → key congenital conditions → feeding.
EvidenceInternational guidance and high-quality reviews; key claims are referenced.
Many risks are modifiable. Optimizing preconception health, antenatal care, and delivery planning can materially improve outcomes.[1][2]
Quick navigation
Highest-yield prevention levers
- Folic acid (commonly 400 μg/day) before conception and in early pregnancy reduces neural tube defects.[3]
- No alcohol during pregnancy (and ideally when trying to conceive). No known safe amount, time, or type.[4][5]
- Quality antenatal care: early booking, scheduled contacts, screening and treatment of maternal disease.[1][2]
- Preterm birth readiness: antenatal corticosteroids and delivery in a perinatal center reduce respiratory morbidity.[6][7]
Interpreting “risk”
- Absolute risk: the chance something happens (e.g., 1 in 10,000).
- Relative risk: compares groups (e.g., 20% higher). “Higher” can still be rare.
- Association ≠ causation: confounding (indication, socioeconomic factors) matters.
