What Causes a Birth Defect?

It's the last thing an expecting parent would like to hear: Their child could be born with a birth defect. These defects may be caused by a variety of circumstances that occur during growing up and could affect the physical or mental health of your child.

Prenatal screening and newborn screening can be used by a health professional to determine the presence of certain birth defects during pregnancy. Other birth defects can be discovered only after the birth of your child or when symptoms begin to appear.

What was the cause of your child's error?

Many birth defects are still undiscovered. There are some things that can increase the risk of a woman having a child with birth defect. These include using drugs or taking certain medications prior to the birth, having a family member that has birth defects or certain medical conditions like rheumatic heart disease. Women with a history of these disorders should speak with an expert in genetic counseling about their options prior getting pregnant.

Whether a child's birth defect can cause serious health issues or Birth Defect attorney not depends on which body part is affected and how much of the body part affected. The more severe the justice birth defect law firm defect the more severe the issues.

The majority of birth defects are caused through genetics or environmental factors during fetal development. The risk of having a birth defect can be reduced by learning about your family's history of health issues and genes by speaking to a genetic counselor and following the prenatal care guidelines.

Structural birth imperfections are those that alter how a part of the body appears or functions. They may be visible, like cleft lips, cleft palettes. They can also be invisible, as with chromosome conditions or metabolic disorders. Inherited genetic conditions can be a type of birth defects that are structural. Environmental factors, for instance, the lack of folic acids, can cause neural tube defects, which result in brain or spinal cord development not being correct.

Find More Evidence Than You Think You Can.

There are a variety of medical procedures a pregnant mother can undergo to learn more about a possible birth defect. Amniocentesis, for instance, is which is when a healthcare professional collects a small sample of fluid from the fetus to conduct analysis. This procedure can reveal chromosomal changes, as well as other health conditions such as infections (such as rubella or Zika) or genetic anomalies.

A doctor can also test a fetus' blood, amniotic fluid and even the tissues of its umbilical cord for signs of birth defects. These tests are essential in determining the causes of birth defects. They also help determine the extent of the birth defect and its effect on a child's future.

However certain birth defects could go undetected until a baby is born, or in rare instances, when an adult. These issues aren't easily detected when they occur and are usually only detected with diagnostic equipment. For these types of situations, it is essential that the medical expert witness is familiar with these technologies and has the proper knowledge to identify such defects. An experienced medical malpractice attorney can help you identify the most appropriate expert for your case.

Hire an attorney who specializes in medical malpractice

When a child is born with a severe birth defect or suffers a devastating birth injury, it can completely turn the world of a family upside down. These injuries can lead to lifelong physical and emotional challenges and often require a lifetime of medical care.

Medical science can explain about 30 percent of birth defects however, many other cases remain unknown. Studies have shown that certain chemicals and substances, like those in prescription or over the counter medications taken by a mother or children, harmful chemicals in communities and homes as well as contaminated groundwater and air may cause Birth defect attorney defects.

Doctors must evaluate the medication used by the expecting mother and inform her of any possible risks for the baby. When they fail in this duty, they may be held accountable for birth defect law firm defects caused by medication.

Doctors also have a duty to evaluate the safety of any procedure or device they recommend to pregnant women. This includes xray machines, surgical tools, and any other equipment. This could cause serious harm for a child in the event that a physician uses the equipment in a negligent manner or does not calibrate it correctly. This is a case of malpractice. In the event of this it's crucial to consult a medical malpractice lawyer as soon as you can. In certain states, you're only given one year to file a medical negligence claim, so the earlier you begin 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. These issues can be life-threatening and can lead to long-term physical, cognitive and emotional challenges. In a few instances, scientists have identified the causes as a mother's exposure to prescription and over-the-counter medicines, toxins that are found in the environment or in the maternal environment, as well as complications during pregnancy and delivery or medical history of the family (like genetic illnesses such as sickle cell disease, PKU). In about 70% of cases, the reason is unknown.

Certain birth defects, like hearing loss or a clubfoot are easily identifiable and can be identified at birth or in the first year of a child's life. Certain birth defects, like heart defects, birth defect attorney intellectual and developmental disabilities, require special tests to detect.

Researchers are trying to discover the cause of birth defects and how they can be prevented. Women who smoke, drink or take illegal drugs while pregnant are at a higher risk of having a child born with certain defects. Women who have a family history of inheritance genetic disorders should consult a genetic counselor prior to trying to get pregnant. They can also use the March of Dimes Family Health History form to gather information about medical conditions that run through their families. This information should be shared with their doctor or genetic counselor.