What Causes a Birth Defect?

The last thing a new parent would like to hear is that their child might be born with a deformity. These defects are caused by factors that occur during the development of the fetus and can affect your child's mental or physical health.

A health care provider can identify birth defects during pregnancy using prenatal testing or newborn screening. However other birth defects might not be diagnosed until after your child's birth or later, when they begin to show symptoms.

What caused your child's deformity?

The root of the majority of birth defects is still unknown. There are some things that can increase the risk of a woman having a child with a birth defect. One of them is using certain medications or taking certain drugs before getting pregnant, having an ancestral history of birth defects or having medical conditions like rheumatic disease. Women who have a family background of these disorders are advised to speak with a genetic counsellor birth defect Attorney 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. The more severe the defect is and the more serious the problems will be.

Most birth defect law firms defects are caused by genes or the environment during fetal growth. You can lower the risk of a birth deformity by consulting with a genetic counsellor, learning about the health background of your family, and having a conversation with an expert in genetics.

Structural birth defect Attorney defects are those that change how a part of the body looks or works. They can range from visible, such as cleft lip and cleft palate, to the invisibly, such as metabolic disorders or chromosome problems. Inherited genetic conditions could be a form 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 or brain not being correct.

Find More Evidence Than You Think You Can.

There are a number of medical procedures a pregnant woman can undergo to find out more about potential birth defects. Amniocentesis is a prime example, where a healthcare provider takes tiny amounts of fluid from the fetus to conduct examination. This test could reveal chromosomal anomalies and other health conditions such as infections (such as Zika or rubella) or genetic anomalies.

A doctor can also test the blood of a fetus amniotic fluid, fetal blood and the umbilical cord for indications of birth defects. These tests are crucial to finding out the causes of birth defect attorney defects. They also help determine the severity of a birth defect and the impact it has on a child's life.

Some birth defects may not be recognized until after the birth of a child or, in some rare cases, even as an adult. This is because these conditions are not detectable until they become apparent, and may only be diagnosed using diagnostic equipment. In these cases, it is crucial that the medical expert witness in question is familiar with these technologies and has the appropriate experience to spot these issues. A medical malpractice lawyer with years of experience will be able to determine the appropriate expert for your case.

Hire a Medical Malpractice Lawyer

If a child is born with a serious birth defect or suffers a serious birth injury, it could completely turn a family's life upside down. These injuries can cause permanent physical and mental problems needing medical attention for the rest of their lives.

Medical science is able to explain approximately 30% of birth defect cases but the rest remain a mystery. Studies have shown that certain chemicals and substances can cause birth defects, such as those found in prescription or over-the-counter medicines that mothers are prescribed, the toxic chemicals at work in some communities and homes, or contaminated air and groundwater.

Doctors are required to review the pregnant mother's current medication and inform her of any dangers for the foetus. If they fail to fulfill this obligation, they can be held accountable for birth defects that are caused by medications.

Doctors are also required to determine the safety and efficacy of any equipment or procedure they recommend to pregnant women. This includes x ray devices, surgical instruments and other equipment. This could result in serious consequences for a baby's health when a doctor uses the equipment in a negligent manner or fails to calibrate it correctly. This is considered to be malpractice. If this happens it is important to consult a medical malpractice lawyer as soon as you can. In some states, you're allowed only one year to file a claim for medical malpractice and it's recommended to start the process as soon as you can.

Start with the First Step

Birth defects are the primary reason for infant deaths. They affect one in 33 babies every year. The conditions can be life-threatening and result in a variety of long-term physical, emotional and cognitive difficulties. Scientists have in some cases identified the birth defects' causes to the mother's exposures to prescription or over-the-counter medicines and environmental toxins, maternal infections, complications during delivery and pregnancy, family medical history, or genetic disorders (like sickle cell disease, PKU, or genetic diseases). However, in a majority of all birth defect cases the cause is unknown.

Certain birth defects, like hearing loss or clubfoot are easily identifiable and are easily diagnosed from birth or within the first year of a child's life. Other birth defects, such as heart defects or intellectual and developmental disabilities, aren't as easily identified and require specialized tests.

Researchers are working to understand what can cause birth defects and how these can be avoided. For example smoking, drink alcohol or take illegal drugs during pregnancy increase the likelihood of having a child with a defect. Women who have an inherited family history of genetic disorders should seek out a genetic counselor prior to trying to become pregnant. They can also use the March of Dimes Family Health History form to collect data regarding medical conditions that are prevalent through their families. This information should be shared with their doctor or genetic counselor.