What are the different types of birth defects?
There are two main types of birth defects: structural and functional/developmental.
Structural birth defects are related to a problem with body parts. Some physical problems include cleft lip or cleft palate, heart defects, such as missing or misshaped valves, and abnormal limbs, such as a club foot. They also include neural tube defects, such as spina bifida, problems that are related to the growth and development of the brain and spinal cord.
Functional birth defects are related to a problem with how a body part or body system works. These problems often lead to developmental disabilities.