Victoria's hub for health services and business
A gateway to the strategies, policies, programs and services delivered by the Department of Health & Human Services.
Victorian government portal for older people, with information about government and community services and programs.
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The cause of birth defects is often unknown, speak to your GP if you are at increased risk of having a baby with a congenital anomaly...
Disease clusters are rare but can cause community concern about the possible effects of exposure to environmental hazards...
During fetal development, the diaphragm or abdominal wall may fail to properly fuse, allowing the abdominal organs to protrude...
ASD is a complex disorder that affects a person's ability to interact with the world around them...
Folic acid taken before conception, and during at least the first four weeks of pregnancy, can prevent around seven out of 10 cases of neural tube defects...
Most cleft palates and cleft lips can be repaired so that appearance and speech develop normally...
Most children born with cri du chat syndrome have moderate intellectual disability, with varying degrees of speech delay and some health problems...
Too much amniotic fluid surrounding the baby during pregnancy (polyhydramnios) may indicate the presence of defects of the digestive tract...
With the support and opportunities available to them today, most people with Down syndrome are able to achieve and participate as valued members of their community...
Dwarfism refers to a group of conditions characterised by shorter than normal skeletal growth...
The World Health Organization recommends that pregnant women should avoid alcohol...
The facts about fragile X syndrome are complicated, and parents and family members are invited to ask their doctor to refer them to a genetics clinic...
All children with severe haemophilia are given preventative treatment with infusions of blood products before they have a bleed...
Some congenital heart defects are mild and cause no significant disturbance to the way the heart functions...
Kabuki syndrome affects males and females equally and there is no cure...
Neurofibromatosis is caused by faulty genes, which may be inherited or have spontaneously mutated at conception...
Noonan syndrome is a genetic condition that usually includes heart abnormalities and characteristic facial features...
PKU is an inherited disorder that prevents the normal breakdown of a protein found in some foods...
A feature of Prader-Willi syndrome is the child's excessive appetite, which often leads to obesity...
Folate can prevent up to 70 per cent of spina bifida cases if taken daily for one month before conception and during the first three months of pregnancy...
Syringomyelia is the growth of a cyst in the spinal cord that may result in paraplegia or quadriplegia if not treated...
Tay-Sachs disease is a serious genetic disorder common in Ashkenazi Jews and French-Canadians...
Thalassaemia is an inherited blood disorder that can cause anaemia or death if not treated...
Treacher Collins syndrome is a genetic disorder that affects growth and development of the head, causing facial defects and hearing loss...
Children affected by trisomy usually have a range of birth defects, including delayed development and intellectual disabilities...
Common birth defects of the urinary system include hypospadias, obstructive defects of the renal pelvis and renal agenesis...
Williams syndrome often goes undiagnosed, which means that some people with the disorder fail to get the support and treatment they need until later in life...
It can be dangerous for a pregnant woman to stop taking prescription drugs if she has a medical condition or becomes ill...
Rubella is a mild illness for most people, but very dangerous for pregnant women and their babies...
Problems only occur if a woman becomes infected with parasites that cause toxoplasmosis for the first time while pregnant...
You can freeze your eggs for medical reasons or for reasons that are more to do with your life circumstances...
Even women who aren't planning to have a baby should increase their folate intake in case of unplanned pregnancy...
Genetic services can help people who are affected by, or who are at risk of, inherited conditions or birth defects, to make informed choices about their healthcare...
Immunisation can protect a woman and her unborn baby against many infectious diseases...
Every newborn baby in Australia is offered a test for rare, but serious, medical conditions. The conditions tested for are phenylketonuria, hypothyroidism and cystic fibrosis. You can choose whether...
Chorionic villus sampling (CVS) is a pregnancy test that checks the baby for some abnormalities...
Maternal serum screening can indicate increased risk of abnormalities in the unborn child, but is not a diagnosis...
Ultrasound is used during pregnancy to check the baby's development and to help pick up any abnormalities...
Need to find a doctor in your local area? Take a look at the general practitioners entry in the health services directory.
Want to know more about the medications you are taking. Search and find information sheets on over 4,000 prescription and over-the-counter medicines.
Find out more about over 170 common surgeries including risks, benefits and after care.