Most birth defects cannot be cured. Treatment focuses on managing the symptoms. In some cases, however, there are ways to treat specific birth defects.
Enzymes are proteins for which genes code. So when a gene is mutated and does not produce the gene product, an enzyme is missing or defective. One way to treat this type of genetic defect is to replace the enzyme that the gene is not producing. An example of a condition for which enzyme replacement therapy has been developed is Gaucher disease.
Some birth defects can be diagnosed and treated before birth. Prenatal surgery, for instance, can treat babies with urinary tract blockages and rare lung tumors.