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What Causes a Birth Defect?

The last thing any expecting parent wants to hear is that their child might 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 birth defect mental health.

Screening for newborns and prenatal tests can be utilized by a doctor to determine the presence of certain birth defects during pregnancy. However other birth defects can not be identified until after the baby is born or later, when they begin to show symptoms.

What was the reason for your child's deformity?

The causes of many birth defects is not known. There are certain factors that can increase the risk of pregnant women having children with birth defect. Some of these include taking certain medications or prescription drugs before getting pregnant, having an ancestral history of birth defect law firms defects, or having medical conditions like rheumatic disease. Women with an history of these conditions should speak with an expert in genetic counseling about their options prior getting pregnant.

The degree of birth defect in a child depends on the body part affected and the degree to which it is affected. Typically, the more severe the defect is it, the more serious the problems will be.

The majority of birth defects are caused by genes or the environment during fetal development. You can lower the risk of a birth defect consulting with a genetic counsellor or a health professional, gaining knowledge about the background of your family and speaking with the geneticist.

Structural birth imperfections are those that alter how a part of the body looks or works. They can range from visible, such as cleft lip and cleft palate, to the invisible, like metabolic disorders or chromosome disorders. Genetic diseases that are passed down from generation to generation are a kind of birth defect that is structural, and environmental factors like the lack of folic acid can lead to neural tube defects, which result in the spinal cord and brain not developing correctly.

Gather More Evidence than You Think You Can.

There are several medical procedures that a pregnant woman can undergo to find out more about a potential birth defect. Amniocentesis, for instance, is where a healthcare provider takes small amounts of fluid from the fetus to conduct analysis. This procedure could reveal chromosomal variations, as well as other health conditions like infections (such as rubella or Zika) or genetic abnormalities.

A doctor can also test the blood of a fetus or amniotic fluid as well as the umbilical cord for indications of birth defects. These tests are crucial in diagnosing the root of a birth defect law firms defect. They can also help determine how severe the birth defect is and the impact it will affect a child later in their adulthood.

However certain birth defects could be unnoticed until the baby is born, or in rare cases, as an adult. This is because these issues are not readily apparent until they are present and often can only be identified with the use of diagnostic equipment. In these instances, the medical expert witness must be knowledgeable with the technologies and have the knowledge and experience required to be able identify these defects. A lawyer who has years of experience will be able to determine the most appropriate specialist for your case.

Employ an attorney who specializes in medical malpractice

A child born with a severe defect or severe birth injury could completely alter the life of a family. These injuries can lead to long-term physical and mental issues needing medical attention for the rest of their lives.

Medical science can pinpoint the underlying causes behind about 30 percent of birth defects, many others remain unsolved. Research has revealed that certain chemicals and substances such as those found in prescription or over-the-counter medication taken by mothers and toxic chemicals found in the community and in homes or groundwater that is contaminated air may cause birth defects.

Doctors have a duty to review the pregnant mother's current medication and inform her of any potential risks to the fetus. If they fail in this obligation, they could be held accountable for birth defects caused by medication.

Doctors also have the responsibility to evaluate the safety of any procedure or device they recommend to pregnant women. This includes x-ray equipment, surgical tools, and any other equipment. This could have serious consequences for a baby in the event that a physician uses the equipment in error or fails to calibrate it correctly. This is a case of malpractice. It is essential to contact a medical malpractice lawyer immediately if this happens. In some states you have only one year to file a claim for medical malpractice therefore it's best to start the process as soon as you can.

Take the First Step

Birth defects are the leading reason for infant deaths. They affect one in 33 babies each year. The condition can be life-threatening and result in a variety of long-term mental, emotional and physical issues. In a few instances, scientists have connected the causes to mother's exposure to prescription or over-the-counter medicines, toxins that are found in the environment and maternal infections, the complications of pregnancy and delivery or a family medical history (like genetic diseases like sickle cell diseases or PKU). However, in a majority of all birth defect cases the cause is not known.

Certain birth defects are easily noticeable and can be detected when a baby is born or in the first year of life. Others, such as heart problems or developmental and intellectual disabilities are not as easy to identify and require specialized tests.

Researchers are attempting to determine what causes birth defects and how some of these can be avoided. For instance women who smoke or drink alcohol or take illegal drugs during pregnancy increase their risk of having a baby with a defect. Women with a family history of inheritance genetic disorders should seek out a genetic counselor before trying to become pregnant. They could also use the March of Dimes Family Health History form to collect data on medical conditions that run through their families. This information should be shared with their doctor or genetic counselor.