birth defect
noun
: a physical or biochemical defect that is present at birth and may be inherited or environmentally induced
Examples of birth defect in a Sentence
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The virus is particularly dangerous for pregnant women, as it can be passed to their fetus and cause serious birth defects and pregnancy complications.
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Katie Nadworny, Travel + Leisure, 6 June 2025
An infection known to cause birth defects, Zika gained national attention in 2015 when a cluster of cases in Brazil produced an uptick in babies born with abnormally small heads.
—Mandy Taheri, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 May 2025
Thalidomide caused birth defects, a looming risk that could result in it being pulled from the market.
—David Armstrong, CNN Money, 10 May 2025
The drug was eventually linked to birth defects in more than 10,000 babies.
—David Armstrong, ProPublica, 8 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for birth defect
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Katie Nadworny, Travel + Leisure, 6 June 2025
An infection known to cause birth defects, Zika gained national attention in 2015 when a cluster of cases in Brazil produced an uptick in babies born with abnormally small heads.
—Mandy Taheri, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 May 2025
Thalidomide caused birth defects, a looming risk that could result in it being pulled from the market.
—David Armstrong, CNN Money, 10 May 2025
The drug was eventually linked to birth defects in more than 10,000 babies.
—David Armstrong, ProPublica, 8 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for birth defect
Cite this Entry
“Birth defect.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/birth%20defect. Accessed 11 Jun. 2025.
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