On this page you will find a variety of resources to do with the history of birth defects as well as some terminology which may assist you in searching for further resources.
On monsters and marvels by
Ambroise Paré, born in France around 1510, was chief surgeon to both Charles IX and Henri III. In one of the first attempts to explain birth defects, Paré produced On Monsters and Marvels, an illustrated encyclopedia of curiosities, of monstrous human and animal births, bizarre beasts, and natural phenomena. Janice Pallister's acclaimed English translation offers a glimpse of the natural world as seen by an extraordinary Renaissance natural philosopher.
Teratology in the Twentieth Century: : congenital malformations in humans and how their environmental causes were established by
This book is an an up-to-date survey and summary of present knowledge and future expectations regarding the environmental causes of congenital malformations in human beings, beginning with the earliest discoveries of the 20th century up to the latest ideas and problems at its end, presents views and comments on the progress made over the century in understanding human prenatal maldevelopment.
Frankie : the woman who saved millions from thalidomide by 
Wombs with a View: illustrations of the gravid uterus from the Renaissance through the nineteenth century by
The volume provides an archive of some of the most beautiful illustrations ever made of the gravid uterus with fetus and placenta, which will serve future generations of investigators, educators, and students of reproduction. The approximately two hundred figures from over one hundred volumes included are from the late fifteenth through the nineteenth century. For each author whose work is depicted in this volume, we have used the first edition or first illustrated edition. In the commentary, each volume and illustration is placed in its historical perspective, noting both the significance of that image, but also some background on the life and work of the author. For most of the works cited, there are additional references for the reader who may wish to explore these in greater depth. This volume is a unique collection not only of these historical images, but also their place in the development of scientific study.
Below is a non-exhaustive list of some terms related to birth defects and the general time periods they might be used in. Bear in mind that it is difficult to identify disabilities and other conditions from historical sources and it is often better to examine the symptoms themselves rather than rely on the diagnoses of the past.
Ancient
Medieval
Early Modern
Modern
Contemporary