What Causes a Birth Defect?

It's not something that any expecting parent would like to hear: Their child could be born with a birth defect. These birth defects are caused the things that happen during the fetal stage and could affect your child's physical or mental health.

A health care provider can identify birth defects during pregnancy with prenatal testing or newborn screening. Other birth defects could be discovered only after the birth of your child or when symptoms appear.

What was the reason for your child's deformity?

Many birth defects are still undiscovered. However there are a few factors that increase the risk of having a baby with a defect. One of them is taking certain medications or prescription drugs before becoming pregnant, having an ancestral history of birth defects or having certain medical conditions such as rheumatic disease. Women with an history of these conditions are advised to consult an expert on genetic counseling about their options prior getting pregnant.

Whether a child's birth defect can cause serious health issues or not is dependent on which body part is affected and how much of the body part is affected. Usually, the more severe the defect and the more serious the problems will be.

The majority of birth defects are caused by genetics or the environment during fetal growth. You can lessen the risk of developing a birth defect by consulting a genetic counselor as well as learning about the health history of your family and meeting with geneticists.

Structural birth defects alter how a specific part of the body appears or works. They can be obvious, like cleft lips or Cleft palettes, but also invisible, like chromosome issues or metabolic conditions. Genetic disorders that are inherited can result in birth defects that cause structural changes. Environmental causes, Vimeo.Com such as the lack of folic acids, can cause neural tube defects that result in the development of the spinal cord and brain not working as intended.

Gather More Evidence Than You Think You Can.

There are many medical procedures that a pregnant woman may undergo to learn more about the possibility of a birth defect. One of them is amniocentesis which involves a healthcare provider taking a small sample of fetal fluid for testing. This test can reveal chromosomal modifications in addition to other health conditions, such as infections (such as rubella or Zika) or genetic anomalies.

A doctor can test the amniotic liquid, blood and tissues of a fetus for signs of a holdrege birth defect law firm defect. These tests are vital in finding out the cause of birth defects. They also help determine the severity of birth defect and the impact it has on a child's future.

However certain batavia birth defect attorney defects could be missed until a baby is born, or in rare instances, when an adult. These problems aren't visible when they first appear and are usually only detected with diagnostic equipment. In these cases, springmall.net the medical expert witness should be acquainted with the techniques and the education required to be able identify these defects. A medical malpractice lawyer with experience should be able to identify the right specialist for your case.

Employ a Medical Malpractice Lawyer

When a child is born with a serious birth defect or suffers a devastating birth injury, it can completely turn a family's lives upside down. These injuries can cause long-lasting physical and emotional challenges and often require ongoing medical treatment.

Medical science is able to explain approximately 30 percent of birth defect cases However, the majority of cases remain unsolved. Research has revealed that certain chemicals and substances such as those found in prescription or over-the-counter medications that mothers take or children, harmful chemicals in the homes and communities or groundwater that is contaminated air may cause birth defects.

Doctors are required by law to analyze the medications taken by the expecting mother and inform her of any possible dangers to the baby. If they fail in their duty, they may be held liable for birth defects caused by medication.

Doctors are also required to assess the safety of any procedure or equipment they recommend for pregnant women. This includes x-ray machines surgical tools, and any other equipment. If a doctor is negligent in using the equipment or fails properly calibrate the equipment it could cause grave consequences for the baby. This would be considered malpractice. It is crucial to contact a medical negligence lawyer immediately in the event of this happening. In certain states, you have only a single year to file a medical negligence case, so the sooner you start the process the better.

Start with the First Step

Birth defects affect 1 of 33 babies born each year, and are the most common cause of infant death. The conditions could be life-threatening and cause a myriad of mental, emotional and physical challenges. In a few instances, scientists have connected the causes to mother's exposure to prescription and over-the-counter drugs, toxins in the environment or in the maternal environment, as well as complications of pregnancy and delivery or a family medical history (like genetic diseases such as sickle cell disease, PKU). In the majority of cases, the cause is not known.

Some birth defects are easily evident and can be found at birth or within the first year. Certain birth defects, like heart defects, intellectual and developmental disabilities, require specific tests to be identified.

Researchers are trying to figure out what causes birth defects and how they can be prevented. For example women who smoke and drink alcohol or consume illegal drugs during pregnancy increase the chances of having a child with certain birth defects. Women who have a family history of inheritance genetic disorders should consult a genetic counselor prior to trying to get pregnant. They should also use the March of Dimes family health history form to gather information regarding medical conditions that run in their families and discuss it with their doctor or genetic counselor.