What Causes a Birth Defect?

The last thing any expecting parent would like to be told is that their child might be born with a deformity. These birth defects are caused by things that occur in the fetal period and can affect your child's physical or mental health.

A medical professional is able to detect some birth defects in pregnancy through newborn screening or prenatal tests. However, other birth defects may not be diagnosed until after the baby is born or when they start to develop symptoms.

What was the cause of your child's error?

The root of many birth defects remains unknown. There are several factors that can increase the risk of being pregnant with a child with birth defect. These include using drugs or taking certain medications prior to pregnancy, a history of having a family member with birth defects or certain medical conditions, for instance rheumatic heart disease. Women with a history of these disorders should talk to an expert on genetic counseling about their options before getting pregnant.

Whether a child's birth defect can cause serious health issues or not depends on which body part is affected and the extent of the body part is affected. The more severe the birth defect, the more serious the issues.

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

Structural birth defects alter the way a part of your body appears or functions. They can be obvious, like cleft lips or cleft palettes. They can also be invisible, like chromosome conditions or metabolic disorders. Genetic disorders that are inherited can result in structural birth defect law firms defects. Environmental factors, like the lack of folic acids, can cause neural tube defects that lead to the development of the spinal cord or brain not functioning properly.

Find More Evidence Than You Think

There are many medical procedures a pregnant mother can undergo to learn more about the possibility of birth defects. One of them is amniocentesis which involves a healthcare provider taking a small amount of fetal fluid to test. This test could reveal chromosomal variations in addition to other health conditions such as infections (such as rubella or Zika) or genetic disorders.

A doctor can also examine the blood of a fetus amniotic fluid, fetal blood and the umbilical cord for signs of birth defects. These tests are essential in diagnosing the root of birth defects. They can also determine the degree of a birth defect and its effect on a child's future.

However, some birth defects can go undetected until a baby is born, or in rare instances, when an adult. This is because these issues are not readily apparent until they are present and may only be diagnosed using diagnostic equipment. In these cases, the medical expert witness should be acquainted with the latest technologies and possess the necessary training to identify these defects. A seasoned medical malpractice attorney should be able to identify the most appropriate expert for your particular case.

Hire a Medical Malpractice Lawyer

A child born with a severe defect or birth injury can completely change the life of the family. These injuries can lead to lifelong physical and psychological challenges that often require ongoing medical treatment.

While medical science is able to pinpoint the underlying causes behind about 30% of birth defects others remain unexplained. Research has revealed that certain chemicals and substances may cause birth defects, including those that are found in prescription and over-the-counter medication that mothers take as well as the toxic chemicals that the heart of some communities and homes, or in contaminated groundwater and air.

Doctors have a duty to assess an expectant mother's current medications and inform her of any potential dangers for the embryo. When they fail in this duty, they may be held accountable for birth defects that are caused by medications.

Doctors are also required to examine the safety of any procedure or equipment they recommend to pregnant women. This includes x-ray instruments, surgical instruments and other equipment. This could result in serious consequences for a newborn baby if a doctor uses the equipment improperly or does not calibrate it properly. This is considered to be malpractice. If this occurs you should contact a medical negligence lawyer as soon as you can. In some states, you are only allowed one year to file a medical negligence case, so the sooner you begin the process the better.

Step 1. Step

Birth defects affect one out of 33 newborns each year and are a major reason for infant death. These conditions can be life-threatening and they can cause long-term physical, cognitive and emotional challenges. Scientists have in some cases identified the causes of birth defects to the mother's exposures to prescription and non-prescription drugs or environmental toxins, as well as complications of motherhood, infections, delivery and pregnancy and medical history of the family, or genetic illnesses (like sickle cell disease PKU, sickle cell disease, or other genetic diseases). But in about 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 at birth or in 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 or drink alcohol, or use illegal drugs during pregnancy increase the chances of having a child with certain birth defects. Women with a family history of inherited genetic disorders should think about seeing a genetic counselor before trying to become pregnant. They should also use the March of Dimes family health history form to collect information about medical conditions that are prevalent in their families and discuss it with their doctor or genetic counselor.