What Causes a Birth Defect?

It's the last thing any expecting parents wants to hear: their child could be born with a birth defect. These defects may be caused by a variety of circumstances that occur during the fetal development and can affect the physical or mental health of your child.

A health care provider can detect birth defects during pregnancy with prenatal tests or newborn screening. However other birth defects could not be discovered until after your child is born or when they start to develop symptoms.

What is the cause of your child's deformity?

The reason for the majority of birth defects is still unknown. However there are a few things that can increase a woman's risk of having a child with a defect. These include using drugs or taking certain medications before the la grange birth defect lawyer, having a family member with birth defects or certain medical conditions, like rheumatic heart disease. Women who have a family history of these conditions are advised to consult a genetic counselor prior to getting pregnant.

The extent to which a birth defect in a child causes serious problems or not will depend on the body part that is affected and how much of the body part is affected. The more severe the birth defect, the more severe the problems.

The majority of tremonton birth defect lawyer defects are caused by genes or the environment during the fetal growth. You can lower the risk of having a birth defect by speaking with a genetic counselor, learning about the health history of your family, and having a conversation with an expert in genetics.

Structural defects are birth problems that affect the way a part of your body looks or performs. They may be visible, like cleft lips, cleft palettes, or invisible, as with chromosome conditions or metabolic conditions. Inherited genetic conditions are one kind of birth defect that is structural, while environmental factors, such as the absence of folic acid can cause neural tube defects, which cause the spinal cord or the brain not developing correctly.

Get More Evidence than You Think

There are a variety of medical procedures pregnant women undergo to find out more about possible birth defects. One of them is amniocentesis which entails a doctor taking a small amount of fetal fluid for analysis. This procedure may reveal chromosomal mutations in addition to other health conditions such as infections (such as rubella or Zika) or genetic anomalies.

A doctor can also examine the fetus's blood amniotic fluid, fetal blood and the umbilical cord for signs of birth defects. These tests are essential to finding out the reason for a birth defect. They also help determine the degree of a birth defect and its effect on a child's life.

Certain birth defects might not be identified until after a baby's birth or, in rare cases even after becoming an adult. These conditions aren't easily detected until they have been identified, and are often recognized with the help of diagnostic equipment. In these instances, the medical expert witness must be knowledgeable with the technologies and have the education required to recognize the defects. A lawyer who has years of experience will be able to determine the most appropriate specialist for your case.

Employ a Medical Malpractice Attorney

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

Medical science could explain up to 30 percent of birth defects but the rest remain unknown. Research has proven that certain chemicals and substances can cause birth defects, like those present in prescription or over the counter medications a mother takes as well as the toxic chemicals that play in certain communities and homes, or contaminated air and groundwater.

Doctors are required by law to analyze the medication taken by the mother-to-be and inform her of any potential dangers for the fetus. If they fail to perform this obligation, they can be held responsible for birth defects caused by medication.

Doctors are also required to assess the safety and effectiveness of any procedure or equipment they recommend to pregnant women. This includes xray machines, surgical tools, and other equipment. If a physician is negligent when using the equipment, or fails to properly calibrate the equipment it could have grave consequences for the baby. This would be considered medical malpractice. When this happens it is important to consult a medical malpractice attorney as soon as possible. In some states, you only have a single year to file a medical malpractice case, so the earlier you start the process the better.

Step 1. Step

Birth defects are the main cause of infant mortality. They affect one in 33 babies each year. The condition can be life-threatening and can cause a myriad of physical, emotional and cognitive issues. Researchers have in a few instances identified the causes of birth defects due to exposure of the mother to prescription and over-the-counter medications and environmental toxins, complications of motherhood, infections, delivery and pregnancy and family medical history or genetic illnesses (like sickle cell disease, PKU, or genetic illnesses). However, in approximately 70% of all birth defect cases, the causes are unknown.

Certain birth defects are readily detectable and can be identified either at birth or during the first year of life. Others, like heart defects or intellectual and developmental disabilities aren't as easily identifiable and require tests of a different kind.

Researchers are attempting to determine what causes birth defects and how these can be avoided. For example women who smoke and drink alcohol or consume illegal drugs during pregnancy increase the chances of having a child with a defect. Women who have a history of family members with inherited genetic disorders should seek out a genetic counselor before trying to get pregnant. They should also utilize the March of Dimes family health history form to gather information about medical conditions that are prevalent in their families and share it with their doctor or a genetic counselor.