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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 could be the result of things that happen 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 by using prenatal testing or newborn screening. Other birth defects can be discovered only after the birth of your child, or after symptoms appear.

What was the reason for your child's deformity?

Many birth defects are still undiscovered. However there are a few things that can increase the chance of having a baby with defects. These include using drugs or taking certain medications before pregnancy, a history of having a relative with an abnormal birth or certain medical conditions, such as rheumatic heart disease. Women with a history of these disorders are advised to consult a genetic counselor about their options prior to becoming pregnant.

The severity of a birth defect in a child depends on the body part affected and how severe the damage. The more severe the defect is then the more severe the problem will be.

The majority of birth defects are caused by genes or the environment during fetal growth. You can reduce the chance of having a birth defect by speaking with a genetic counselor and learning about the health background of your family and meeting with the geneticist.

Structural defects are birth imperfections that affect how a part of your body looks or performs. They may be visible such as cleft lips and Cleft palettes, but also invisible, like chromosome issues or metabolic conditions. Inherited genetic conditions are one kind of structural birth defect, while environmental factors like the lack of folic acid can lead to neural tube defects that cause brain or spinal cord not developing correctly.

Gather More Evidence Than You Think

There are many medical procedures that a pregnant woman is able to undergo in order to find out more about the possibility of birth defects. Amniocentesis is a prime example, where a doctor collects an insignificant amount of fluid from the fetus for testing. This procedure can reveal chromosomal changes as well as other health conditions, such as infections (such as rubella or Zika) or genetic disorders.

A doctor can test the amniotic fluid, blood and tissues of a fetus for signs of birth defect. These tests are crucial to determining the causes of birth defect law firm defects. They also aid in determining the severity of a birth defect will be and the consequences it could have on a child's his or her adult life.

However some birth defects can be missed until a baby is born or, in rare instances, even as an adult. These conditions aren't readily apparent prior to their onset and are usually only detected with diagnostic equipment. In these cases, the medical expert witness must be conversant with the techniques and the knowledge and experience required to recognize these issues. A seasoned medical malpractice attorney should be able to identify the right expert for your case.

Find an attorney for Medical Malpractice

A child born with a serious defect or a serious birth injury can alter the life of the family. These injuries can cause permanent physical and mental problems, requiring medical care for the rest of their lives.

Medical science can pinpoint the causes of about 30 percent of birth defects others remain a mystery. Research has revealed that certain chemicals and substances can cause birth defects, including those present in prescription or over the counter medicines that mothers are prescribed and the harmful chemicals that work in some communities and homes, or contaminated air and groundwater.

Doctors are required to assess an expectant mother's current medications, and advise her of any dangers to the baby. If they fail in their obligation, they could be held liable for birth defects that are caused by medications.

Doctors are also required to evaluate the safety and efficacy of any procedure or device they recommend to pregnant women. This includes x-ray machines surgical instruments, and other equipment. This could cause serious harm for a child if a doctor uses the equipment in error or does not calibrate it properly. This would be considered medical malpractice. It's important to speak with a medical malpractice lawyer as soon as you can should this happen. In certain states, you have only one year to file a claim for medical malpractice and it's recommended to begin the process as soon as possible.

Start with the First Step

Birth defects affect 1 of 33 babies born each year and are a leading cause of infant death. These issues could be life-threatening, and can lead to permanent physical, cognitive and emotional challenges. In some instances, scientists have connected the causes to mother's exposure to prescription or over-the counter medicines, toxins that are found in the environment as well as maternal infections, complications of pregnancy and delivery or a medical history of the family (like genetic illnesses, sickle cell disease or PKU). In about 70% of cases, the reason is not known.

Certain birth defects are easily detectable and can be identified at Birth defect attorney or in the first year. Others, like heart defects or developmental and intellectual disabilities are not as obvious and require special tests.

Researchers are trying to figure out the causes of birth defects and how they can be prevented. Women who drink, smoke or consume illegal substances while pregnant are at greater risk of having a child with certain defects. Women with a history of family members that includes genetic disorders that are inherited may want to consult a genetic counselor prior to trying to conceive. They should also fill out the March of Dimes family health history form to collect data about medical conditions that run in their families and provide it to their doctor or a genetic counselor.