What Causes a Birth Defect?

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

A doctor can diagnose some birth defects during pregnancy using the prenatal test or newborn screening. However, other birth defects may not be diagnosed until after the birth of your child or later, when they begin to show symptoms.

What Caused Your Child's Defect?

Many birth defect lawsuits defects remain undiscovered. However there are a few things that increase the chance of having a baby with a defect. These include using drugs or taking certain medications prior to the birth, having a family member who has a birth defect or having certain medical conditions, such as rheumatic heart disease. Women with an ancestral history of these diseases are advised to consult a genetic counselor prior to getting pregnant.

The degree of birth defect in a child is contingent on the affected body part and how much is affected. The more severe the defect is, the more severe the problems will be.

The majority of birth defects are caused by genetics or the environment during fetal growth. The risk of having a birth defect can be reduced by gaining knowledge about your family's history of health and genetic issues or talking to a genetic counselor and following prenatal care guidelines.

Structural defects are birth imperfections that affect how the body appears or functions. They may range from the visible, such as cleft lip and cleft palate, to the invisibly, such as metabolic disorders or chromosome problems. Genetic disorders that are inherited are a kind of structural birth defect and environmental factors like a lack of folic acid can cause neural tube defects that can result in the spinal cord or the brain not developing correctly.

Find More Evidence Than You Think

There are many medical procedures that a pregnant woman can undergo to find out more about potential birth defects. One of these is amniocentesis which involves a healthcare provider taking a small sample of the fetal fluid to be tested. This test can reveal chromosomal modifications in addition to other health conditions such as infections (such as rubella or Zika) or genetic abnormalities.

A doctor may also test a fetus' blood or amniotic fluid as well as the umbilical cord for signs of birth defects. These tests are crucial to determining the causes of birth defects. They can also determine the degree of a birth defect and its effect on the adult life of a child.

However certain birth defects may go undetected until a baby is born, or in rare instances, birth defect even as an adult. This is due to the fact that these problems are not easily identified until they are present and can sometimes only be diagnosed using diagnostic equipment. In these instances the medical expert witness should be acquainted with the technologies and have the knowledge and experience required to recognize these defects. A medical malpractice lawyer with expertise should be able to pinpoint the appropriate expert for your case.

Hire a Medical Malpractice Lawyer

A child born with a serious defect or a serious birth injury can drastically alter the life of the family. These injuries can lead to lifelong physical and mental challenges, requiring medical care for the rest of his life.

Medical science is able to explain approximately 30 percent of birth defects However, the majority of cases are still unknown. Research has shown certain chemicals and substances, like those found in prescription or over-the-counter medicines taken by mothers or in toxic chemicals found in the community and in homes or groundwater that is contaminated air, can cause birth defects.

Doctors are required to assess an expectant mother's current medications and advise her about any risks to the foetus. When they fail in this duty, they can be held liable for birth defects caused by medication.

Doctors also have a duty 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 result in serious consequences for a baby should a doctor use the equipment improperly or fails to calibrate it correctly. This is a case of malpractice. It's important to contact a medical malpractice lawyer immediately in the event of this happening. In some states you have only one year to file a case for medical malpractice therefore it's best to start the process as soon as possible.

Take the First Step

Birth defects affect 1 out of 33 babies born every year and are a major cause of infant death. These conditions can be life-threatening and cause long-term cognitive, emotional, and physical problems. In some instances, researchers have linked the causes to a mother's exposure to prescription or over-the-counter medications, toxins found in the environment or in the maternal environment, as well as complications of pregnancy and birth, or family medical history (like genetic illnesses like sickle cell diseases or PKU). In around 70% of cases, the reason is not known.

Certain birth defects, including clubfoot or hearing loss, are easy to see and are easily diagnosed either at birth or during the first year of a child's life. Others, such as heart problems or developmental and intellectual disabilities aren't as easy to identify and require tests of a different kind.

Researchers are trying determine the causes of birth defects and how they can be prevented. For instance smoking or drink alcohol or take illegal drugs during pregnancy increase the chance of having a baby with certain birth defects. Women with a history of family members with inherited genetic disorders should seek out a genetic counselor before trying to become pregnant. They should also use the March of Dimes family health record form to gather information about medical conditions that run in their families and provide it to their doctor or a genetic counselor.