What Causes a Birth Defect?

The last thing any expecting parent wants to learn is that their child could 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.

Prenatal screening and newborn screening can be utilized by a healthcare professional to detect certain birth defects during pregnancy. However other birth defects could not be detected until after your child's birth or when they start to develop symptoms.

What is the reason for your child's defect?

Many birth defects remain unknown. There are some things which can increase the chances of pregnant women having children with a birth defect. These include using prescription drugs or taking certain medications before pregnancy, having a family member who has birth defects or certain medical conditions, like rheumatic heart disease. Women with a family background of these disorders are advised to consult an expert in genetic counseling prior to becoming pregnant.

The degree of waupaca birth defect attorney defect in a child varies on the affected body part and the extent to which it is affected. The more severe the birth defect, the more serious the issues.

The majority of birth defects are caused by genetics or the environment during the fetal development. You can reduce the chance of a birth defect speaking with a genetic counselor or a health professional, gaining knowledge about the history of your family and meeting with the geneticist.

Structural birth imperfections are those that alter how a part of the body appears or works. They may be visible like cleft lips or cleft palettes. They can also be invisible, as with chromosome conditions or metabolic conditions. Genetic diseases that are passed down from generation to generation are a kind of structural birth defect and environmental factors like a lack of folic acid can lead to neural tube defects, which result in the brain or spinal cord not developing properly.

Get More Evidence than You Think

There are a number of medical procedures pregnant women undergo to discover more about potential Glencoe Birth Defect Law Firm defects. Amniocentesis is one of them, which entails a doctor taking a small amount of fetal fluid for analysis. This procedure could reveal chromosomal variations, as well as other health conditions like infections (such as rubella or Zika) or genetic anomalies.

A doctor can examine the amniotic liquid, blood and fetus's tissues to determine if there are signs of birth defect. These tests are vital in determining the cause of a birth defect. They can also help determine how serious the birth defect is and the effects it could have on a child's his or her adult life.

Some birth defects might not be detected until after a baby's birth or, in rare instances even after becoming an adult. These problems aren't visible prior to their onset and are usually only detected by using diagnostic equipment. For these types of situations, it is essential that the medical expert witness in question is familiar with these techniques and has the proper experience to spot these issues. An experienced medical malpractice attorney is able to determine the most appropriate expert for your case.

Employ a Medical Malpractice Lawyer

A child born with a serious defect or birth injury can alter the life of a family. These injuries can lead to lifelong physical and mental challenges that require medical attention for a lifetime.

While medical science can identify the root causes of around 30 percent of birth defects, many others remain unsolved. Studies have shown that certain chemicals and substances may cause birth defects, such as those that are found in prescription and over-the-counter medication that mothers take or the toxic chemicals at work in some communities and homes, as well as contaminated air and groundwater.

Doctors are required to evaluate the dosage of medication taken by the mother-to-be and inform her of any possible risks for the baby. If they fail in this obligation, they could be held accountable for birth defects that are caused by medications.

Doctors are also required to evaluate the safety and efficacy of any procedure or equipment they recommend to pregnant women. This includes x ray devices, surgical instruments and other equipment. This could result in serious consequences for a child should a doctor use the equipment in error or fails to calibrate it correctly. This would be considered medical malpractice. It's important to get in touch with a medical malfeasance lawyer as soon as you can if this happens. In some states, you're given only one year to file a claim for medical malpractice and it's recommended to start the process as soon as you can.

Take the First Step

Birth defects affect 1 out of 33 newborns every year and are a major cause of infant death. The conditions can be life-threatening and can result in a variety of long-term physical, emotional and cognitive issues. Researchers have in a few instances connected the causes of birth defects due to exposure of the mother to prescription and over-the-counter medications or environmental toxins, as well as maternal infections, complications during the birth and pregnancy or a family medical history or genetic diseases (like sickle cell disease PKU, sickle cell disease, or other genetic illnesses). In the majority of cases, the cause is unknown.

Certain birth defects are readily noticeable and can be detected at birth or within the first year of life. Certain birth defects, such as heart defects or intellectual and developmental disabilities, require special tests to detect.

Researchers are working to understand Republic birth defect law firm the causes of birth defects and how them may be prevented. Women who smoke, drink or consume illegal substances while pregnant are at a higher risk of having a child with certain defects. Women who have an inherited family history of genetic disorders should consider seeing a genetic counselor prior to trying to get pregnant. They should also utilize the March of Dimes family health history form to collect information about medical conditions that are prevalent in their families and then share it with their doctor or a genetic counselor.