What Causes a Birth Defect?

It's not something that any expectant parent wants to hear: Their child may have a birth defect. These birth defects are caused things that happen during the development of the fetus and can affect your child's mental or physical health.

A health care provider can diagnose some birth defects during pregnancy with prenatal testing or newborn screening. However other birth defects could not be identified until after the baby is born or birth defect law firms when they start to develop symptoms.

What Caused Your Child's Defect?

The cause of the majority of birth defects is still unknown. There are a few factors that increase the chance of pregnant women having children with birth defect. This includes using medications or taking certain medications prior to pregnancy, a history of having a relative with birth defects or certain medical conditions, like rheumatic heart disease. Women with a family history of these disorders are advised to speak with a genetic counsellor before getting pregnant.

The degree to which a birth defect can cause serious health issues or not is dependent on which body part is affected and how much of the body part affected. The more severe the defect, the more severe the problems will be.

The majority of birth defects are caused by genes or the environment during the fetal growth. The risk of having birth defects can be reduced by learning about your family's history of health issues and genes, talking to a genetic counselor and following the prenatal care guidelines.

Structural birth defects are those that change the way a part of your body appears or functions. They vary from the obvious like cleft lips and cleft palate to the invisibly, such as metabolic disorders or chromosome problems. Genetic conditions that are passed down through the generations can be a type of birth defects with structural causes. Environmental factors, for instance, an absence of folic acid can cause neural tube defects that cause the development of the spinal cord or brain not being correct.

Get More Evidence than You Think You Can.

There are a variety of medical procedures that pregnant mothers can undergo to find out more about the possibility of a birth defect. One of these is amniocentesis which entails a doctor taking a small sample of fetal fluid for testing. This procedure may reveal chromosomal irregularities as well as other health conditions, such as infections (such as Zika or rubella) or genetic anomalies.

A doctor may also test a fetus' blood or amniotic fluid as well as the umbilical cord for indications of birth defects. These tests are vital in determining the cause of a birth defect. They also help determine the severity of a birth defect and its impact on the adult life of a child.

Some birth defects might not be recognized until after the birth of a baby or, in a few instances even after becoming an adult. This is because the issues are not readily apparent until they have been identified, and can sometimes only be identified with the use of diagnostic equipment. In these cases, the medical expert witness must be conversant with the techniques and the necessary training to identify these defects. A lawyer who has experience should be able to identify the right specialist for your case.

Employ a Medical Malpractice Attorney

When a child is born with a serious birth defect or suffers a severe birth injury, it can completely turn a family's lives upside down. These injuries can cause long-term physical and mental issues that require medical attention for a lifetime.

While medical science can identify the causes of 30 percent of birth defects, others remain unexplained. Research has shown certain chemicals and substances such as those in prescription or over the counter medication taken by mothers and toxic chemicals found in communities and homes as well as contaminated groundwater and air may cause birth defect lawyers defects.

Doctors are required to review the pregnant mother's current medications, and advise her of any risks to the embryo. If they fail in their duty, they may be held responsible for birth defects caused by medication.

Doctors also have a responsibility to examine the safety of any procedure or equipment they recommend to pregnant women. This includes x-ray equipment, surgical tools, as well as other equipment. This could result in serious consequences for a baby should a doctor use the equipment in a negligent manner or fails to calibrate it correctly. This would be considered to be malpractice. It is important to contact a medical negligence lawyer immediately in the event of this happening. In some states, you are only allowed one year to file a medical negligence case, so the sooner you begin the process, the more favorable.

Step 1. Step

Birth defects affect one out of 33 newborns each year, and are a major cause of infant death. These conditions can be life-threatening, and can result in long-term physical, mental and birth defect law Firms emotional problems. Scientists have, in some instances, linked the birth defects' causes due to exposure of the mother to prescription and non-prescription drugs or environmental toxins, as well as maternal infections, complications during pregnancy and birth Defect law Firms, family medical history, or genetic disorders (like sickle cell disease, PKU, or genetic illnesses). However, in approximately 70% of birth defect cases, the causes are unknown.

Certain birth defects are easily evident and can be found either at birth or during the first year of life. Certain birth defects, like heart defects, developmental and intellectual disabilities, require tests specific to detect.

Researchers are trying to discover what causes birth defects and how these can be avoided. Women who drink, smoke or take illegal drugs when pregnant increase their risk for having a child born with certain defects. Women with a history of family members that includes genetic disorders that are inherited may want to consult a genetic counselor prior to trying to have a baby. They can also use the March of Dimes Family Health Form to collect information regarding medical conditions that are prevalent through their families. This information should be shared with their doctor or genetic counselor.