What Causes a Birth Defect?

It's the last thing that an expecting parents wants to hear: their child could be born with a birth defect. These birth 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 professional is able to detect some birth defects in pregnancy through the prenatal test or newborn screening. However, other birth defects may not be identified until after the baby is born or a few years later when they show symptoms.

What was the reason for your child's deformity?

The causes of many birth defects remains unknown. However there are a few things that increase the likelihood of having a child with a defect. These include taking prescription drugs or taking certain medications prior to pregnancy, a history of having a family member with birth defects or certain medical conditions like rheumatic heart disease. Women with an ancestral background of these disorders are advised to consult a genetic counselor prior to getting pregnant.

Whether a child's birth defect causes serious issues or not is contingent upon the body part that is affected and how much of the body part is affected. Usually, the more severe the defect then the more severe the problem will be.

The majority of birth defects are caused by genes or the environment during fetal development. The risk of having birth defects can be decreased by educating yourself about your family's history of genes and health issues, talking to a genetic counselor, and following the prenatal care guidelines.

Structural defects are birth issues that affect how an element of your body appears or functions. They can be obvious, like cleft lips or cleft palettes. They can also be invisible, like chromosome issues or metabolic conditions. Genetic disorders that are inherited can be a type of structural birth defects. Environmental factors, such as a lack folic acid, can cause neural tube defects that lead to the development of the spinal cord and brain not functioning properly.

Find More Evidence Than You Think

There are a variety of medical procedures pregnant mothers can undergo to discover more about the possibility of birth defects. One of these is amniocentesis which involves a medical professional taking a small amount of the fetal fluid to be tested. This test can reveal chromosomal modifications, as well as other health conditions like infections (such as rubella or Zika) or genetic abnormalities.

A doctor can also test a fetus' blood as well as amniotic fluid and the umbilical cord for signs of birth defects. These tests are essential to finding out the reason for birth defects. They can also determine the extent of the birth defect and the impact it has on a child's adult life.

However, some birth defects can be missed until a baby is born or, in rare cases, as an adult. These conditions are not detectable when they occur and are often only discovered by using diagnostic equipment. For these kinds of cases, it is critical that the medical expert witness is knowledgeable about these technologies and has the right knowledge to recognize these defects. A medical malpractice lawyer with expertise should be able to pinpoint the best expert for your case.

Hire a Medical Malpractice Attorney

If a child is born with a severe birth defect law firms defect or suffers a devastating birth injury, it can completely turn a family's lives upside down. These injuries can cause long-term physical and mental issues, requiring medical care for the rest of their lives.

Medical science can pinpoint the causes of 30 percent of birth defect lawsuit defects, others remain a mystery. Research has revealed that certain chemicals and substances may cause birth defects, such as those that are found in prescription and over-the-counter medications that mothers use as well as the toxic chemicals that play in certain communities and homes, or in contaminated air and groundwater.

Doctors have a duty to assess an expectant mother's current medications, and advise her about any risks for the baby. If they fail to fulfill this duty, they may be held responsible for birth defects that are caused by medications.

Doctors are also required to determine the safety and effectiveness of any procedure or equipment they recommend to pregnant women. This includes x-ray machines, surgical tools, and other equipment. This could cause serious harm for a baby should a doctor use the equipment in error or does not calibrate it properly. This would be considered malpractice. It is crucial to contact a medical malpractice lawyer as soon as you can if this happens. In some states you have only one year to file a claim for medical malpractice and it's recommended to begin the process as soon as you can.

Start with the First Step

Birth defects affect 1 in 33 babies born every year, and are the most common cause of infant mortality. The conditions can be life-threatening and cause long-term cognitive, emotional, and physical issues. Scientists have in a few cases identified the causes of birth defects to exposure to prescription and non-prescription drugs as well as environmental toxins, complications of motherhood, infections, pregnancy and delivery and family medical history or genetic diseases (like sickle cell disease PKU, also known as genetic illnesses). However, in approximately 70% of birth defects cases the causes are not clear.

Some birth defects, like hearing loss or clubfoot, are easily identifiable and can be diagnosed either at birth or during the first year of a child's life. Other birth defects, such as heart defects or developmental and intellectual disabilities, are not as obvious and require special tests.

Researchers are trying to figure out what causes birth defects and how some of them may be prevented. For example smoking and drink alcohol or consume illegal drugs during pregnancy increase their chances of having a child with certain birth defects. Women with an inherited family history of genetic disorders should consult a genetic counselor prior to trying to get pregnant. They should also fill out the March of Dimes family health history form to collect information regarding medical conditions that run in their families and then share it with their doctor or genetic counselor.