What Causes a Birth Defect?

It's the last thing that an expecting parents wants to hear: their child may be born with a defect. These birth defects could be the result of the growing up and could affect the physical or mental health of your child.

Prenatal testing and newborn screening can be used by a health professional to diagnose certain birth defects during pregnancy. However other birth defects can not be detected until after the birth of your child or later, when they begin to show symptoms.

What Caused Your Child's Defect?

The cause of many birth defects is not known. There are a few factors that could increase the likelihood of the mother having a child with birth defect. These include using drugs or taking certain medications prior to pregnancy, a history of having a family member who has birth defects or certain medical conditions, for instance rheumatic heart disease. Women with an ancestry of these disorders should speak with a genetic counselor about their options prior to getting pregnant.

If a birth defect in a baby can cause serious health issues or not will depend on which body part is affected and how much of the body part is affected. The more severe a birth defect, the more severe the problems.

The majority of birth defects are caused either by genetics or the environment during fetal growth. You can reduce the chance of having a birth defect by consulting a genetic counselor and learning about the health background of your family and having a conversation with the geneticist.

Structural defects are birth defects that affect the way the body appears or performs. They can be visible, like cleft lips, Cleft palettes, but also invisible, as with chromosome conditions or metabolic conditions. Genetic disorders that are inherited are a type of birth defect that is structural, while environmental factors such as an absence of folic acids can cause neural tube defects that cause spinal cord or brain not developing correctly.

Gather More Evidence Than You Think

There are many medical procedures that a pregnant woman is able to undergo in order to find out more about a possible birth defect. Amniocentesis is a prime example, where a healthcare provider takes tiny amounts of fluid from the fetus for analysis. This test can reveal chromosomal modifications as well as other health conditions, such as infections (such as rubella or Zika) or genetic anomalies.

A doctor can test the amniotic fluid, blood and fetus's tissues for indications of a birth defect. These tests are vital in finding out the reason for a birth defect. They can also determine the severity of a birth defect and its effects on a child's life.

However some birth defects can go undetected until a baby is born or, in rare instances, even as an adult. These issues aren't easily detected before they are present and can be detected through equipment for Vimeo diagnosing. In these cases, the medical expert witness must be conversant with the techniques and the necessary training to identify these issues. A medical malpractice lawyer with experience should be able to identify the appropriate expert for your case.

Employ an attorney for Medical Malpractice

When a child is born with a serious birth defect or suffers a severe fayetteville birth defect law firm injury, it can completely turn a family's life upside down. These injuries can cause permanent physical and mental problems needing medical attention for the rest of his life.

While medical science can identify the root causes of around 30% of birth defects, others remain unexplained. Studies have shown that certain chemicals and substances may cause birth defects, such as those present in prescription or over the counter medication that mothers take and the harmful chemicals that work in some communities and in homes, or the contaminating groundwater and air.

Doctors must evaluate the medication taken by a pregnant mother and inform her of any possible dangers for the embryo. If they fail in this duty, they may be held responsible for birth defects caused by medications.

Doctors are also required to assess the safety and efficacy of any procedure or equipment they recommend to pregnant women. This includes x-ray devices, surgical instruments and other equipment. If a doctor makes a mistake using the equipment or fails correctly calibrate the equipment, it could have grave consequences for the baby. This would be considered malpractice. If this happens it's crucial to contact a medical negligence attorney as soon as you can. In some states, you have only one year to file a medical malpractice case, so the sooner you start the process, the more favorable.

Take the First Step

westmont birth defect lawyer defects are the primary cause of infant deaths. They affect one in 33 babies each year. These issues are life-threatening, and can trigger long-term physical, mental and emotional issues. Researchers have in a few instances linked the birth defects' causes to the mother's exposures to prescription or over-the-counter medicines, environmental toxins, complications of motherhood, infections, delivery and pregnancy and medical history of the family, or genetic diseases (like sickle cell disease PKU, also known as genetic illnesses). In the majority of cases, the cause is unknown.

Certain birth defects are readily detectable and can be identified either at birth or during the first year of life. Some birth defects, such as heart defects, intellectual and developmental disabilities, Vimeo require special tests to identify.

Researchers are trying to determine the cause of birth defects and how they can be prevented. Women who drink, smoke or take illegal drugs while pregnant increase their risk for having a child with certain defects. Women who have a history of family members with inherited genetic disorders should consult a genetic counselor prior to trying to become pregnant. They should also utilize the March of Dimes family health history form to gather information about medical conditions that can be found in their families and provide it to their doctor or genetic counselor.