What Causes a Birth Defect?

The last thing a new parent wants to hear is that their child might be born with a deformity. These defects are caused by things that occur in the fetal period and can affect your child's physical or mental health.

A health care provider can identify birth defects during pregnancy with prenatal testing or newborn screening. However other birth defects can not be identified until after your child's birth or a few years later when they show symptoms.

What was the reason for your child's deformity?

Many birth defects are still undiscovered. There are some things that can increase the risk of being pregnant with a child with a birth defect. These include taking prescription drugs or taking certain medications prior to pregnancy, a history of having a family member with birth defects or certain medical conditions, like rheumatic heart disease. Women who have a family history of these diseases are advised to consult a genetic counselor prior to becoming pregnant.

The degree of birth defect in a child is contingent on the body part that is affected and the degree to which it is affected. Usually, the more severe the defect is and the more serious the issues will be.

The majority of birth defects are caused either by genes or the environment during fetal development. You can lessen the risk of a aiken birth defect Attorney defect consulting with a genetic counsellor and learning about the health history of your family and meeting with a geneticist.

Structural birth problems are those that alter the way a part of your body looks or works. They may range from the visible like cleft lips and cleft palate, to the invisibly, such as metabolic disorders or chromosome disorders. Genetically-inherited conditions can be a type of birth defects that are structural. Environmental factors, like a lack folic acid, can cause neural tube defects that lead to the development of the spinal cord or brain not being correct.

Gather More Evidence Than You Think

There are a variety of medical procedures a pregnant mother can undergo in order to find out more about a possible birth defect. Amniocentesis can be one of them, where a doctor collects tiny amounts of fluid from the fetus for testing. This procedure can reveal chromosomal modifications in addition to other health conditions like infections (such as rubella or Zika) or genetic abnormalities.

A doctor can also test a fetus' blood amniotic fluid, fetal blood and the tissues of its umbilical cord for indications of birth defects. These tests are essential in determining the root of birth defects. They can also assist in determining how serious a birth defect will be and the consequences it could have on a child in the years to come.

However certain barnstable town birth defect law firm defects could be unnoticed until the baby is born, or in rare instances, when an adult. This is because the problems are not easily identified until they are present and often can only be detected using diagnostic equipment. For these types of cases, it is crucial that the medical expert witness involved is familiar with these techniques and has the proper knowledge to detect these flaws. A lawyer who has years of experience will be able to determine the right specialist for your case.

Hire a Medical Malpractice Lawyer

A child born with a severe defect or a serious birth injury could completely alter the life of the family. These injuries can cause lasting physical and mental health challenges needing medical attention for the rest of his life.

Medical science can pinpoint the causes of about 30% of birth defects, others remain unexplained. Research has found that certain chemicals and substances like those in prescription or over the counter medicines taken by mothers or children, harmful chemicals in the homes and communities, or contaminated groundwater and air can cause birth defects.

Doctors have a duty to review the pregnant mother's current medication and inform her of any potential dangers to the fetus. If they fail to fulfill this obligation, they could be held responsible for birth defects that are caused by medications.

Doctors also have a duty to evaluate the safety of any procedure or device they recommend for pregnant women. This includes x-ray machines surgical tools, as well as other equipment. If a doctor is negligent in using this equipment or fails to properly calibrate the equipment, it could result in serious consequences for the baby. This is considered medical malpractice. In the event of this it is important to contact a medical negligence lawyer as soon as you can. In certain states, you're only given one year to file a medical malpractice claim, so the earlier you start the process the more favorable.

Take the First Step

Birth defects are the most common cause of infant death. They affect one in 33 babies every year. These conditions can be life-threatening and can result in permanent physical, cognitive and emotional issues. In some instances, researchers have connected the causes to mother's exposure to prescription and over-the-counter medicines, toxins that are found in the environment, maternal infections, complications of pregnancy and delivery, or medical history in the family (like genetic diseases such as sickle cell disease, PKU). However, in a majority of all birth defect cases the cause is not known.

Certain birth defects, such as clubfoot or hearing loss, are easy to detect and are easily diagnosed either at birth or during the first year of a child's life. Others, like heart defects or developmental and intellectual disabilities are not as obvious and require special tests.

Researchers are trying to discover the cause of birth defects and how they can be prevented. For instance women who smoke or drink alcohol or take illegal drugs during pregnancy increase their chance of having a baby with a defect. Women who have a family history of inheritance genetic disorders should think about seeing a genetic counselor before trying to become pregnant. They should also fill out the March of Dimes family health history form to collect information about medical conditions that can be found in their families and share it with their doctor or a genetic counselor.