| Birth defects - ambiguous genitalia - Better Health Channel |
| Ambiguous genitalia (also known as atypical genitalia) is a birth defect (or birth variation) of the sex organs that makes it unclear whether an affected newborn is a girl or boy. This condition occurs approximately once in every 4,500 births. The baby seems to have a mixture of both female and male parts - for example, they may have both a vulva and testicles. Associated intersex conditions for male babies include hypospadias, where the urethral opening is located in an unusual position such as the underside of the penis.The causes of ambiguous genitalia include genetic variations, hormonal imbalances and malformations of the foetal tissues that are supposed to evolve into genitals. Tests (including ultrasound, x-rays and blood tests) are needed before the baby's sex can be identified. Mild forms of ambiguous genitalia may be characterised by a large (penis-like) clitoris in baby girls or undescended testicles in boys. |
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| Birth defects - congenital heart disorders |
| The heart is a double pump made up of four chambers. The right upper chamber (atrium) takes in blood from the body, which is low in oxygen, and squeezes it into the right lower chamber (ventricle). From there, the blood is pumped through an artery to the lungs to collect oxygen. From the lungs, oxygenated blood enters the left upper chamber (atrium). It is then pumped into the lower left chamber (ventricle) and into an artery (the aorta), where it starts its journey around the body again. Generally, oxygenated blood is pumped along arteries and deoxygenated blood returns to the heart via veins.The two sides of the heart are separated from each other, with no direct communication between them. The lung artery and the aorta are also separate, with no interconnection, although before birth (and for a short time after), two connections exist - one between the upper chambers and another between the aorta and the lung artery. |
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