What Causes a Birth Defect?

It's not something that any expecting parent would like to hear: their child may be born with a defect. These birth defects could be the result of things that happen during fetal growth and can affect the physical or mental health of your child.

A medical professional can identify birth defects during pregnancy by using the prenatal test or newborn screening. However other birth defects can not be diagnosed until after your child is born or later when they develop symptoms.

What is the reason for your child's defect?

The causes of many birth defects remains unknown. There are certain factors that can increase the risk of a woman having a child with a birth defect. Some of these include taking certain medications or drugs before getting pregnant, having a family history of birth defects, or having medical conditions such as rheumatic disease. Women who have an history of these conditions are advised to consult an expert on genetic counseling about their options prior to becoming pregnant.

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

Most justice birth defect lawsuit defects are caused either by genetics or the environment during fetal growth. You can lower the risk of having a birth defect by consulting with a genetic counsellor and learning about the health background of your family and meeting with a geneticist.

Structural defects are lynwood birth defect lawsuit problems that affect the way an element of your body appears or performs. They can range from visible such as cleft lips and cleft palate, to the invisibly, such as metabolic disorders or chromosome problems. Genetic disorders that are inherited are a kind of structural birth defect while environmental factors like an absence of folic acids can lead to neural tube defects, which cause spinal cord and brain not developing properly.

Gather More Evidence Than You Think

There are many medical procedures pregnant mothers can undergo in order to find out more about the possibility of birth defects. Amniocentesis can be one of them, where a doctor collects small amounts of fluid from the fetus for testing. This test could reveal chromosomal variations in addition to other health issues such as infections (such as rubella or Zika) or genetic anomalies.

A doctor can examine the amniotic liquid, blood and tissues of a fetus for signs of a birth defect. These tests are crucial in finding out the causes of birth defects. They can also assist in determining how severe the birth defect could be and the impact it will be having on a child's their adult life.

Some birth defects might not be identified until after a baby's birth or, in rare cases even after becoming an adult. This is due to the fact that these issues are not readily apparent until they are present and can sometimes only be identified with the use of diagnostic equipment. In these instances the medical expert witness should be acquainted with the latest technologies and possess the training necessary to be able to spot the defects. A medical malpractice lawyer with expertise should be able to pinpoint the appropriate expert for your case.

Find an attorney for Medical Malpractice

A child born with a serious defect or birth injury can completely change the life of the family. These injuries can cause life-long physical and emotional challenges which often require an entire lifetime of medical attention.

While medical science is able to pinpoint the root causes of around 30% of birth defects, others remain unexplained. Studies have shown that certain chemicals and substances such as those found in prescription or over the counter medication taken by mothers and toxic chemicals found in homes and communities as well as contaminated groundwater and air, can cause birth defects.

Doctors are required to examine a pregnant mother's current medications and advise her about any dangers to the foetus. If they fail in their duty, they may be held accountable for hanover park birth defect lawsuit defects caused by medication.

Doctors also have a responsibility to assess the safety of any procedure or equipment they recommend to pregnant women. This includes x-ray equipment, surgical tools, as well as other equipment. This could have serious consequences for a child should a doctor use the equipment in error or fails to calibrate it correctly. This would be considered medical malpractice. It is important to contact a medical malpractice lawyer immediately in the event of this happening. In some states you have only one year to file a claim for medical malpractice therefore it's best to start the process as soon as you can.

Take the First Step

Birth defects affect one in 33 babies born every year and are a major reason for Hanover Park Birth Defect Lawsuit infant mortality. These conditions can be life-threatening, and can result in long-term physical, cognitive and emotional issues. Scientists have in a few cases identified the birth defects' causes in mothers' exposure to prescription and non-prescription drugs, environmental toxins, complications of motherhood, infections, the birth and pregnancy and medical history of the family, or genetic diseases (like sickle cell disease PKU, sickle cell disease, or other genetic diseases). In about 70% of cases, the reason is unknown.

Certain birth defects, such as hearing loss or clubfoot are easy to see and can be identified at birth or within the first year of a child's life. Certain birth defects, like heart defects, intellectual and development disabilities, require special tests to be identified.

Researchers are trying determine the root of birth defects, and how they can be prevented. Women who smoke, drink or take illegal drugs when pregnant are more likely to having a child with certain defects. Women who have an inherited family history of genetic disorders should consult a genetic counselor before trying to become pregnant. They should also utilize the March of Dimes family health record form to gather information regarding medical conditions that run in their families and provide it to their doctor or genetic counselor.