What Causes a Birth Defect?

The last thing a new parent wants to learn is that their child could have a birth deformity. These defects can be caused by things that happen during pregnancy and can impact the mental or physical health of your child.

A medical professional can diagnose some birth defects in pregnancy through newborn screening or prenatal tests. However other birth defects might not be diagnosed until after your child's fairview birth defect attorney or later, when they begin to show symptoms.

What Caused Your Child's Defect?

The reason for many birth defects is not known. However there are some factors that increase the likelihood of having a child born with defects. Some of these include using certain medications or taking certain drugs before getting pregnant, having a family history of birth defects or having medical conditions such as rheumatic illness. Women who have an ancestral history of these diseases are advised to consult a genetic counselor prior to getting pregnant.

The degree to which a birth defect causes serious issues or not is contingent upon which body part is affected and the extent of the body part affected. Typically, the more severe the defect is, the more severe the issues will be.

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

Structural defects are birth problems that affect the way an area of your body looks or performs. They vary from the obvious, such as cleft lip and cleft palate, but also the invisibly, such as chromosome disorders or metabolic conditions. Genetic disorders that are inherited may be a sign of birth defects with structural causes. Environmental causes, such as the absence of folic acid can cause neural tube defects, which result in the development of the spinal cord or brain not functioning properly.

Get More Evidence than You Think You Can.

There are many medical procedures that pregnant women can undergo to discover more about potential birth defects. Amniocentesis is one of them, that involves a doctor taking a small sample of fetal fluid for testing. This test may reveal chromosomal mutations as well as other health conditions, such as infections (such as rubella or Zika) or genetic disorders.

A doctor can examine the amniotic liquid, blood and tissues of a fetus to determine if there are signs of birth defect. These tests are essential to finding out the reason for birth defects. They can also determine the degree of a birth defect and its effect on a child's life.

Certain birth defects might not be recognized until after the birth of a child or, in a few instances even after becoming an adult. These conditions are not detectable when they occur and are usually only detected through diagnostic equipment. In these instances the medical expert witness must be conversant with the latest technologies and possess the training necessary to recognize these flaws. A seasoned medical malpractice lawyer is able to determine the appropriate specialist for your case.

Employ a Medical Malpractice Lawyer

A child born with a serious defect or severe birth injury could completely alter the life of a family. These injuries can lead to lifelong physical and emotional issues, often requiring a lifetime of medical care.

Although medical science has been able to identify the underlying causes behind about 30% of pittsfield birth defect lawyer defects, others remain unsolved. Research has shown certain chemicals and substances, such as those in prescription or over-the-counter medications that mothers take and toxic chemicals found in communities and homes or in groundwater that has been contaminated with air can cause birth defects.

Doctors are required to examine a pregnant mother's current medications and advise her of any risks to the baby. When they fail in this obligation, they could be held liable for birth defects caused by medication.

Doctors are also required to determine the safety and efficacy of any procedure or equipment they recommend to pregnant women. This includes x ray instruments, surgical instruments and other equipment. If a physician is negligent when using this equipment or fails to properly calibrate the equipment it could lead to grave consequences for the baby. This would be considered malpractice. In the event of this, it's important to speak with a medical malpractice attorney as soon as possible. In some states, you have only a single year to file a medical malpractice case, so the earlier you begin the process the better.

Begin by completing the first Step

Birth defects affect 1 of 33 babies born every year and are a major cause of infant mortality. These conditions can be life-threatening and can lead to many long term cognitive, emotional, and physical problems. In some cases, scientists have connected the causes to mother's exposure to prescription or over-the-counter drugs, toxins in the environment, maternal infections, complications during pregnancy and delivery or a family medical history (like genetic diseases like sickle cell diseases or PKU). However, in the majority of all battle creek birth defect lawyer defect cases the cause is unknown.

Certain birth defects, like clubfoot or hearing loss, are easy to see and can be diagnosed at birth or in the first year of a child's existence. Certain birth defects, such as heart defects or developmental and intellectual disabilities, require specific tests to detect.

Researchers are trying to figure out what can cause birth defects and how they can be prevented. Women who drink, smoke or take illegal drugs when pregnant are more likely to having a child with certain defects. Women with a family history involving 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 History form to collect information about medical conditions that run through their families. This information should be shared with their doctor or genetic counselor.