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What Causes a Birth Defect?

The last thing a expecting parent would like to learn is that their child may have a birth defect. These birth defect attorneys defects are caused by factors that occur during the fetal stage and could affect your child's mental or physical health.

A health care provider is able to detect some birth defects during pregnancy by using the prenatal test or newborn screening. Other birth defects can only be detected following the birth of your child, or after symptoms begin to appear.

What Caused Your Child's Defect?

The root of the majority of birth defects is still unknown. However, there are a few factors that increase the chance of having a baby with a defect. These include taking prescription drugs or taking certain medications prior to pregnancy, a history of having a family member that has birth defects or certain medical conditions, such as rheumatic heart disease. Women with a family history of these disorders are advised to speak with a genetic counsellor before becoming pregnant.

The extent to which a birth defect in a child causes serious issues or not depends on which body part is affected and the extent of the body part is affected. Usually, the more severe the defect is it, the more serious the problem will be.

Most birth defects are caused by genes or environment during fetal growth. The risk of having birth defect law firms defects can be decreased by educating yourself about your family's history of health and genetic issues or talking to a genetic counselor and following the guidelines for prenatal care.

Structural birth imperfections are those that alter how a specific part of the body appears or functions. They vary from the obvious like cleft lip and cleft palate, up to the invisible, such as chromosome disorders or metabolic conditions. Inherited genetic conditions are one kind of structural birth defect while environmental factors, such as the lack of folic acid can cause neural tube defects that cause spinal cord and brain not developing correctly.

Find More Evidence Than You Think

There are several medical procedures that pregnant women can undergo to determine a potential birth defect. Amniocentesis is one of them, which entails a doctor taking a small sample of the fetal fluid to be tested. This test can reveal chromosomal changes, as well as other health conditions such as infections (such as rubella or Zika) or genetic abnormalities.

A doctor can also examine the fetus's blood amniotic fluid, fetal blood and the tissues of its umbilical cord for signs of birth defects. These tests are crucial in determining the root of birth defects. They can also determine the severity of birth defect and its impact on a child's future.

However some birth defects can be unnoticed until the baby is born, or in rare cases, as an adult. These conditions aren't readily apparent prior to their onset and are often only discovered through equipment for diagnosing. In these cases the medical expert witness must be knowledgeable with the technologies and have the knowledge and experience required to be able identify these flaws. A medical malpractice lawyer with experience should be able to identify the right specialist for your case.

Find an attorney who specializes in medical malpractice

If a child is born with a serious birth defect or suffers a serious birth injury, it could completely turn a family's world upside down. These injuries can lead to long-term physical and mental issues and require medical treatment for the rest of their lives.

Medical science can pinpoint the causes of 30% of birth defects, many others remain unexplained. Studies have shown that certain chemicals and substances, like those found in prescription or over the counter medications that mothers take and toxic chemicals found in homes and communities as well as contaminated groundwater and air may cause birth defects.

Doctors are required by law to analyze the medications taken by an expectant mother and birth defect inform her of any potential dangers to the fetus. If they fail to meet this duty, they may be held accountable for birth defects caused by medications.

Doctors also have the responsibility to evaluate the safety of any procedure or device they recommend for pregnant women. This includes x ray devices, surgical instruments and other equipment. This could cause serious harm for a baby's health when a doctor uses the equipment in error or does not calibrate it correctly. This would be considered malpractice. If this happens it is important to seek out a medical malpractice attorney as soon as you can. In some states you have only one year to file a complaint for medical malpractice and it's recommended to start the process as soon as possible.

Start with the First Step

Birth defects are the primary reason for infant deaths. They affect one in 33 babies each year. The conditions are life-threatening and birth defect cause long-term mental, emotional and physical challenges. Researchers have in a few instances linked the birth defects' causes in mothers' exposure to prescription and non-prescription drugs or environmental toxins, as well as maternal infections, complications during pregnancy and birth or a family medical history or genetic illnesses (like sickle cell disease PKU, also known as genetic illnesses). In around 70% of cases, the reason is not known.

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

Researchers are trying to discover the cause of birth defects and how they can be avoided. For example, women who smoke or drink alcohol, or use illegal drugs during pregnancy increase their risk of having a baby with certain birth defects. Women with a history of family members that includes genetic disorders inherited from their parents may want to consult a genetic counsellor before trying to be pregnant. They should also utilize the March of Dimes family health history form to collect information regarding medical conditions that run in their families and then share it with their doctor or genetic counselor.