What Causes a Birth Defect?

It's the last thing any expecting parent would like to hear: their child may be born with a defect. These problems are caused by factors that occur during the development of the fetus and can affect your child's mental or physical health.

A health care provider is able to detect some riverbank birth defect lawyer defects during pregnancy with prenatal testing or newborn screening. However other birth defects can not be detected until after your child's birth or when they start to develop symptoms.

What caused your child's deformity?

Many birth defects are not known. There are several factors which can increase the chances of the mother having a child with birth defect. These include using drugs or taking certain medications prior to pregnancy, having a family member that has an abnormal birth or certain medical conditions, such as rheumatic heart disease. Women with a history of these disorders should talk to an expert in genetic counseling about their options prior to getting pregnant.

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

Most birth defects are caused by genetics or the environment during fetal growth. You can lower the risk of having a tempe birth defect attorney defect by consulting a genetic counselor, learning about the health background of your family, and having a conversation with an expert in genetics.

Structural birth problems are those that alter how a specific part of the body appears or performs. They can be visible, like cleft lips, cleft palettes, or invisible, like chromosome conditions or metabolic disorders. Genetic disorders that are inherited may be a sign of birth defects that cause structural changes. Environmental causes, such as the lack of folic acids, can cause neural tube defects that lead to the development of the spinal or brain not functioning as it should.

Find More Evidence than You Think

There are a variety of medical procedures pregnant mothers is able to undergo in order to find out more about the possibility of birth defects. Amniocentesis is one example, which is when a healthcare professional collects a small sample of fluid from the fetus to conduct analysis. This procedure may reveal chromosomal irregularities, as well other health conditions like infections (such as Zika or rubella) or genetic anomalies.

A doctor can test the amniotic fluid, blood and the tissues of a fetus for signs of culver city Birth defect attorney defect. These tests are crucial to finding out the causes of birth defects. They also help determine the severity of birth defect and its impact on a child's adult life.

Certain birth defects may not be identified until after the birth of a child or, in rare instances even after becoming an adult. This is because these problems are not easily identified until they become apparent, and can sometimes only be recognized with the help of diagnostic equipment. In these instances, the medical expert witness must be familiar with the latest technologies and possess the necessary training to recognize these issues. A lawyer who has expertise should be able to pinpoint the right specialist for your case.

Find a Medical Malpractice Attorney

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

Medical science may explain around 30 percent of birth defect cases but the rest remain a mystery. Research has shown that certain chemicals and substances may cause birth defects, including those that are found in prescription and over-the-counter medication that mothers take or the toxic chemicals at working in some communities and homes, as well as contaminated air and groundwater.

Doctors have a duty to examine a pregnant mother's current medications, and advise her of any possible dangers to the embryo. If they fail in their duty, they can be held accountable for birth defects that are caused by medications.

Doctors are also required to determine the safety and effectiveness of any equipment or procedure they recommend to pregnant women. This includes x ray machines, surgical instruments, and other equipment. If a doctor is negligent in using this equipment or fails to properly calibrate the equipment, it could lead to grave consequences for the baby. This would be considered medical malpractice. It is important to contact a medical negligence lawyer as soon as you can when this happens. In certain states, you're only given a single year to file a medical negligence case, so the faster you begin the process the better.

Begin by completing the first Step

Birth defects are the leading cause of infant mortality. They affect one in 33 babies each year. These conditions can be life-threatening and can lead to permanent physical, cognitive and emotional issues. Scientists have, in some instances, identified the birth defects' causes to the mother's exposures to prescription and non-prescription drugs, environmental toxins, complications of motherhood, infections, pregnancy and delivery and family medical history or genetic disorders (like sickle cell disease PKU, sickle cell disease, or other genetic diseases). In the majority of cases, the reason is unknown.

Some birth defects, like hearing loss or clubfoot are easy to detect and can be diagnosed at birth or within the first year of a child's existence. Some birth defects, like heart defects or intellectual and developmental disabilities require special tests to be identified.

Researchers are working to understand what causes birth defects and how some of them can be prevented. For instance, women who smoke or drink alcohol or take illegal drugs during pregnancy increase the risk of having a baby with certain defects. Women who have a family history of inheritance genetic disorders should consider seeing a genetic counselor prior to trying to become pregnant. They could also use the March of Dimes Family Health History form to gather information about medical conditions that run through their families. This information should be shared with their doctor or genetic counselor.