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 defects may be caused by a variety of events that occur during the fetal development and can affect the mental or physical health of your child.

Prenatal testing and newborn screening can be used by a health professional to detect certain birth defects during pregnancy. Other birth defects can only be identified after the birth of your child or if symptoms start to show.

What was the cause of your child's error?

The root of the majority of birth defects is still unknown. There are certain factors that could increase the likelihood of the mother having a child with birth defect. One of them is taking certain medications or prescription drugs prior to becoming pregnant or having an ancestral history of birth defects, or having certain medical conditions, such as rheumatic diseases. Women with an ancestral history of these diseases are advised to consult a genetic counselor prior to becoming pregnant.

The degree of birth defect in a child depends on the affected body part and how severe the damage. Typically, the more severe the defect is then the more severe the issues will be.

The majority of birth defects are caused by genetics or the environment during fetal development. The risk of having a birth defect can be reduced by learning about your family's history with health issues and genes or talking to an expert on genetics and following prenatal guidelines.

Structural birth defects alter how a specific part of the body appears or works. They vary from the obvious like cleft lip and cleft palate to the invisibly, such as metabolic disorders or chromosome problems. Genetic disorders that are inherited are a type of birth defect that is structural, and environmental factors like the lack of folic acid can cause neural tube defects, which cause the spinal cord or brain not developing correctly.

Gather More Evidence than You Think

There are several medical procedures pregnant women undergo to discover more about a potential birth defect. One of these is amniocentesis that involves a doctor taking a small sample of fetal fluid for testing. This test may reveal chromosomal irregularities, as well other health conditions such as infections (such as Zika or rubella) or genetic anomalies.

A doctor may also test a fetus' blood, amniotic fluid and even the umbilical cord for signs of birth defects. These tests are crucial in finding out the reason for birth defects. They also help determine the severity of a birth defect and its effects on the adult life of a child.

However some birth defects can remain unnoticed until a child is born or, in rare cases, as an adult. These conditions aren't readily apparent prior to their onset and are often only discovered with diagnostic equipment. In these cases, the medical expert witness must be familiar with the technologies and have the education required to identify the defects. A seasoned medical malpractice lawyer should be able to identify the most appropriate expert for your case.

Find a Medical Malpractice Attorney

A child born with a severe defect or a severe birth injury could completely alter the life of families. These injuries can lead to lifelong physical and mental challenges that require medical attention for the rest of his life.

Although medical science has been able to identify the causes of about 30 percent of birth defects, others remain unexplained. Research has found that certain chemicals and substances, such as those found in prescription or over the counter medication taken by mothers, toxic chemicals in homes and communities, or contaminated groundwater and air, can cause birth defects.

Doctors are required to assess the medications taken by the mother-to-be and inform her of any potential dangers to the baby. When they fail in this duty, they may be held responsible for birth defects caused by medication.

Doctors are also required to assess the safety and efficacy of any procedure or equipment they recommend to pregnant women. This includes xray machines, surgical tools, and other equipment. This could cause serious harm for a child in the event that a physician uses the equipment in error or does not calibrate it correctly. This would be considered malpractice. If this occurs, it's important to contact a medical negligence attorney as soon as you can. In certain states, you are only allowed one year to file a medical negligence case, so the sooner you begin the process the more favorable.

Take the First Step

Birth defects are the most common reason for infant deaths. They affect one in 33 babies each year. The condition can be life-threatening and result in a variety of long-term mental, emotional and physical difficulties. Scientists have in a few cases linked the causes of birth defects due to exposure of the mother to prescription and over-the-counter medications and environmental toxins, maternal infections, complications during the birth and pregnancy, family medical history, or genetic diseases (like sickle cell disease, PKU, or genetic illnesses). In the majority of cases, the cause is unknown.

Some birth defects, like hearing loss or clubfoot are easy to spot and can be identified from birth or within the first year of a child's life. Other conditions, such as heart defects or developmental and intellectual disabilities aren't as easy to identify and require tests that are specific to the condition.

Researchers are trying to figure out the cause of birth defects and how they can be prevented. Women who smoke, drink or birth defect consume illegal substances while pregnant are at greater risk of having a child with certain defects. Women with a family history of inheritance genetic disorders should consider seeing 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 provide it to their doctor or genetic counselor.