‘Exposure to radiation during pregnancy may lead to cleft problems’

Doctors from across the country perform operations on cleft-lip patients free of cost at camp in Vizianagaram

Senior doctors interacting with parents who had brought their children to the camp, at Tirumala Medicover Hospitals in Vizianagaram on Saturday.

Exposure of pregnant women to radiation could lead to cleft lip problems among babies, doctors said, emphasising the need for them to protect themselves from radiation and avoid x-rays, particularly in the first three months of pregnancy, which is when development of face usually happens.

Senior doctors, including M. Prabhaskar from Hyderabad, V.I.R.K.S. Kuljeet Singh from Ludhiana, Harpreet Kaur from Chennai, Giseth from Columbia and 10 other medical experts came to Vizianagaram to perform operations on around 80 cleft-lip patients who had come from across the State, Odisha, Telangana to the free medical camp, organised jointly by Mission Smile, a charity organisation, and Tirumala Medicover Hospitals.

The doctors are extending their service without fee.

Dr. Prabhakar, who is heading the medical team, said that cleft lip and cleft palate problems were mostly seen among children of tribal areas.

“Pregnant women should make it a point to take nutritious food. While deficiency in folic acid is the primary reason for cleft problems, studies show that exposure to radiation can also harm babies,” he added.

Vizianagaram MLA Kolagatla Veerabhadra Swamy, who formally inaugurated the programme, hailed Tirumala-Medicover Hospitals Managing Director K. Tiruamala Prasad and Mission Smile programme-India Manager Rafiur Rahman for conducting operations in Vizianagaram for the last four years.

Hospital Center Head V.N. Padma Kumar said that post operative care was also being taken for old patients who needed guidance and medical support for a couple of years after completion of operations.