What Causes a Birth Defect?

It's the last thing any expectant parent wants to hear: Their child may have a birth defect. These birth defects are caused factors that occur during the development of the fetus and can affect your child's mental or physical health.

Testing for prenatal and newborns can be utilized by a doctor to detect certain birth defect lawyer defects during pregnancy. Other birth defects can be discovered only after the birth of your child or when symptoms are evident.

What caused your child's asymmetry?

The reason for numerous birth defects remains unclear. However, there are a few factors that increase the risk of having a baby with defects. Some of these include using certain medications or taking certain drugs before getting pregnant or having an ancestral history of birth defects or having certain medical conditions such as rheumatic illness. Women who have a history of these disorders should consult a genetic counselor about their options prior to getting pregnant.

The degree to which a birth defect causes serious problems or not depends on the body part that is affected and the extent of the body part is affected. Typically, the more severe the defect is, the more severe the problem will be.

Most birth defects are caused by genetics or the environment during the fetal growth. You can reduce the chance of having a birth defect by talking to a genetic counsellor as well as learning about the health background of your family and meeting with a geneticist.

Structural defects are birth problems that affect the way an area of your body appears or performs. They can be obvious, like cleft lips, Cleft palettes, or they can be invisible, like chromosome conditions or metabolic disorders. Genetically-inherited conditions can result in birth defects with structural causes. Environmental factors, for instance, the lack of folic acids, can cause neural tube defects that lead to brain or spinal cord development not functioning as it should.

Get More Evidence than You Think

There are several medical procedures that a pregnant woman can undergo to discover more about a potential birth defect. One of them is amniocentesis which involves a medical professional taking a small sample of the fetal fluid to be tested. This test may reveal chromosomal irregularities as well as other health conditions like infections (such as Zika or rubella) or genetic anomalies.

A doctor can examine the amniotic fluid, blood and the tissues of a fetus for signs of birth defect. These tests are crucial to determining the cause of birth defects. They also aid in determining how serious a birth defect could be and the impact it will be having on a child's the years to come.

However certain birth defects may remain unnoticed until a child is born or, in rare cases, an adult. These problems aren't visible when they first appear and are often only discovered by using diagnostic equipment. In these cases, it is crucial that the medical expert witness is well-versed in these technologies and has the proper experience to detect these flaws. An experienced medical malpractice lawyer can help you identify the appropriate specialist for your case.

Hire a Medical Malpractice Lawyer

A child born with a severe defect or a severe birth injury can drastically alter the life of a family. These injuries can create life-long physical and psychological challenges that often require the need for a lifetime of medical treatment.

Medical science can pinpoint the root causes of around 30 percent of birth defects, others remain unsolved. Studies have shown that certain chemicals and substances like those found in prescription or over-the-counter medications that mothers take, toxic chemicals in the homes and communities or groundwater that is contaminated air, can cause birth defects.

Doctors have a duty to evaluate the mother's current medications, and advise her about any risks to the baby. If they fail to perform this duty, they can be held accountable for birth defect lawyers defects that are caused by medications.

Doctors also have a duty to evaluate the safety of any procedure or device they recommend for pregnant women. This includes x-ray equipment, surgical instruments, and other equipment. This could result in serious consequences for a baby's health in the event that a physician uses the equipment in a negligent manner or does not calibrate it properly. This would be considered medical malpractice. It is crucial to contact a medical malpractice lawyer immediately should this happen. In some states, you are only allowed a single year to file a medical negligence claim, so the earlier you begin the process the more favorable.

Begin by completing the first Step

Birth defects are the primary cause of infant mortality. They affect one in 33 babies each year. These conditions could be life-threatening and lead to many long term cognitive, emotional, and physical problems. Researchers have in a few instances identified the birth defects' causes to exposure to prescription and non-prescription drugs and environmental toxins, complications of motherhood, infections, delivery and pregnancy or a family medical history or genetic illnesses (like sickle cell disease, PKU, or genetic diseases). But in about 70% of all birth defects the cause is not known.

Certain birth defects, such as clubfoot or hearing loss, are easily identifiable and can be identified from birth or within the first year of a child's life. Other birth defects, such as heart defects or intellectual and developmental disabilities, are not as easy to identify and require tests that are specific to the condition.

Researchers are attempting to determine the causes of birth defects and how them can be prevented. For example women who smoke and drink alcohol or consume illegal drugs during pregnancy increase their risk of having a baby with certain birth defects. Women with a family history involving genetic disorders that are inherited may want to consult with a genetic counselor prior to trying to get pregnant. They should also use the March of Dimes family health history form to collect information regarding medical conditions that run in their families and provide it to their doctor or a genetic counselor.