Prevention of mental retardation.

Mental retardation is a very important health problem since it affects approximately 3% of the population. Prevention should begin by public education and complemented by measures taken during the preconceptional, the prenatal, the perinatal and the postnatal periods. Health and family planning, recognition of "at risk" situations, genetic counseling, prenatal care, antenatal diagnosis, neonatal screening and pediatric care are just a few of the preventive actions to safe-guard the birth of normal children and secure normal mental development.