What Causes a Birth Defect?

The last thing a expecting parent wants to hear is that their child might have a birth deformity. These birth defects can be caused by events that occur during the fetal development and can affect the physical or mental health of your child.

Prenatal screening and newborn screening can be used by a doctor to detect certain birth defects during pregnancy. However, other Birth Defect Attorney defects may not be detected until after the birth of your child or later, when they begin to show symptoms.

What caused your child's asymmetry?

Many birth defects remain undiscovered. There are some things that could increase the likelihood of pregnant women having children with a birth defect. One of them is taking drugs or certain medications before becoming pregnant, having a family history of birth defects, or having medical conditions such as rheumatic illness. Women who have a history of these disorders are advised to consult a genetic counselor about their options before getting pregnant.

The severity of a birth defect in a child depends on the body part affected and how much is affected. The more serious a birth defect is, the greater the severity of the problems.

The majority of birth defects are caused by genetics or the environment during fetal growth. The chance of developing birth defects is reduced by knowing about your family's history of genes and health issues by speaking to a genetic counselor, and following prenatal care guidelines.

Structural birth defects are those that change how a specific part of the body appears or performs. They can range from the visible, such as cleft lip and cleft palate, to the invisible, like metabolic disorders or chromosome disorders. Genetic diseases that are passed down from generation to generation are a type of birth defect that is structural, and environmental factors like a lack of folic acid can cause neural tube defects that cause spinal cord or brain not developing properly.

Get More Evidence than You Think You Can.

There are many medical procedures that a pregnant woman may undergo to discover more about a possible birth defect. Amniocentesis, for instance, is where a healthcare provider takes an insignificant amount of fluid from the fetus for testing. This test may reveal chromosomal mutations and other health issues such as infections (such as rubella or Zika) or genetic disorders.

A doctor may also examine the fetus's blood, amniotic fluid and even the tissues of its umbilical cord for signs of birth defects. These tests are essential in finding out the reason for birth defect. They can also help determine the severity of the birth defect could be and the consequences it could have on a child in his or her adult life.

However certain birth defects could be unnoticed until the baby is born, or in rare cases, an adult. This is because the problems are not easily identified until they are present and often can only be detected using diagnostic equipment. In these instances, the medical expert witness must be knowledgeable with the technology and have the education required to identify the defects. A lawyer who has experience should be able identify the best expert for your case.

Hire a Medical Malpractice Lawyer

When a child is born with a serious birth defect or suffers a severe birth injury, it could completely turn a family's lives upside down. These injuries can cause life-long physical and psychological challenges which often require an entire lifetime of medical attention.

Medical science is able to explain approximately 30 percent of birth defects, but many others are still unknown. Studies have shown that certain chemicals and substances may cause birth defects, such as those present in prescription or over the counter medicines that mothers are prescribed as well as the toxic chemicals that work in some communities and homes, as well as contaminated air and groundwater.

Doctors have a duty to assess an expectant mother's current medications and advise her of any potential risks to the baby. If they fail in their duty, they may be held accountable for birth defects that are caused by medications.

Doctors are also required to evaluate the safety of any procedure or device they recommend for pregnant women. This includes x-ray equipment, surgical tools, and other equipment. If a physician is negligent when using the equipment or fails correctly calibrate the equipment, it could cause grave consequences for the baby. This is a case of malpractice. It is crucial to contact a medical negligence lawyer immediately when this happens. In some states, you're given only one year to file a case for medical malpractice which is why it's important to start the process as soon as possible.

Take the First Step

Birth defects affect one out of 33 babies born every year and are a major reason for infant death. The conditions can be life-threatening and result in a variety of long-term cognitive, emotional, and physical challenges. In some instances, researchers have linked the causes to a mother's exposure to prescription or over-the-counter drugs, toxins in the environment, maternal infections, complications during pregnancy and delivery, or family medical history (like genetic illnesses like sickle cell diseases or PKU). But in about 70% of all birth defect cases the causes are not clear.

Some birth defects are easily evident and can be found at birth or within the first year of life. Other birth defects, such as heart defects or developmental and intellectual disabilities aren't as obvious and require specialized tests.

Researchers are trying to figure out what causes birth defects and how they can be prevented. Women who smoke, drink or take illegal drugs when pregnant are at a higher risk of having a child born with certain defects. Women with a history of family members with inherited genetic disorders should seek out a genetic counselor before trying to become pregnant. They should also utilize the March of Dimes family health history form to collect data about medical conditions that can be found in their families and discuss it with their doctor or genetic counselor.