What Causes a Birth Defect?

The last thing any expecting parent wants to be told is that their child might be born with a deformity. These problems are caused by things that occur during the fetal stage and could affect your child's mental or physical health.

Prenatal screening and newborn screening can be used by a health care provider to detect certain birth defects that can occur during pregnancy. Other birth defects may only be detected after the birth of your child, or after symptoms appear.

What caused your child's deformity?

Many birth defects are still undiscovered. However there are several things that increase a woman's risk of having a baby born with a defect. One of them is using certain medications or taking certain drugs prior to becoming pregnant or having a family history of birth defects, or having medical conditions, such as rheumatic diseases. Women who have an established history of these diseases are advised to consult an expert in genetic counseling about their options prior to becoming pregnant.

Whether a child's birth defect can cause serious health issues or not is contingent upon which body part is affected and how much of the body part affected. Typically, the more severe the defect, the more severe the problem will be.

Most birth defects are caused through genetics or environmental factors during fetal development. The risk of having a Shelton Birth defect Lawsuit defect can be reduced by gaining knowledge about your family's history with health issues and genes by speaking to an expert in genetic counseling and following the guidelines for prenatal care.

Structural birth defects alter how a part of the body looks or works. They can range from visible like cleft lip and cleft palate, but also the invisibly, such as metabolic disorders or chromosome disorder. Genetically-inherited conditions may be a sign of birth defects that cause structural changes. Environmental factors, for instance, the absence of folic acid can cause neural tube defects that result in the development of the spinal or brain not being correct.

Find More Evidence Than You Think You Can.

There are a variety of medical procedures pregnant mothers is able to undergo in order to determine the cause of the possibility of a birth defect. Amniocentesis is a prime example, where a doctor collects tiny amounts of fluid from the fetus to conduct testing. This procedure can reveal chromosomal defects and other health issues like infections (such as Zika or rubella) or genetic anomalies.

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 crucial in determining the causes of birth defects. They can also assist in determining how severe the birth defect is and the impact it will have on a child in their adulthood.

However certain birth defects could go undetected until a baby is born, or in rare instances, when an adult. This is because the issues are not readily apparent until they have been identified, and often can only be recognized with the help of diagnostic equipment. In these cases the medical expert witness must be conversant with the technologies and have the education required to identify these defects. A seasoned medical malpractice attorney should be able to identify the appropriate specialist for your particular case.

Hire a Medical Malpractice Attorney

If a child is born with a severe peculiar birth defect attorney defect or suffers a devastating birth injury, it can completely turn a family's world upside down. These injuries can cause long-lasting physical and emotional issues which often require the need for a lifetime of medical treatment.

While medical science can identify the causes of about 30 percent of birth defects others remain unexplained. Research has shown certain chemicals and substances, like those found in prescription or over-the-counter medications taken by a mother, toxic chemicals in the community and in homes as well as contaminated groundwater and air can cause birth defects.

Doctors are required by law to analyze the medication taken by the expecting mother and inform her of any potential risks to the fetus. When they fail in this duty, they can be held accountable for birth defects caused by medication.

Doctors are also required to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of any equipment or procedure they recommend to pregnant women. This includes x-ray machines, surgical tools, and other equipment. If a doctor negligently uses this equipment or fails to properly calibrate the equipment, it could lead to serious consequences for the baby. This would be considered malpractice. In the event of this you should speak with a medical malpractice lawyer as soon as you can. In some states you have only one year to file a complaint for medical malpractice which is why it's important to start the process as soon as you can.

Start with the First Step

Birth defects are the leading cause of infant deaths. They affect one in 33 babies each year. These conditions are life-threatening, and can result in lasting physical, cognitive and emotional difficulties. Researchers have in a few instances connected the birth defects' causes to exposure to prescription and non-prescription drugs or environmental toxins, as well as maternal infections, complications during delivery and pregnancy and medical history of the family, or genetic diseases (like sickle cell disease PKU, or other genetic diseases). In about 70% of cases, the reason is unknown.

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 intellectual and developmental disabilities, aren't as easily identified and require tests that are specific to the condition.

Researchers are trying to determine what causes birth defects and how they can be prevented. Women who smoke, drink or consume illegal substances while pregnant are at greater risk of having a child born with certain 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 conceive. They may also use the March of Dimes Family Health Form to collect information on medical conditions that run through their families. This information should be shared with their doctor or genetic counselor.