What Causes a Birth Defect?

It's the last thing an expecting parent would like to hear: their child may be born with a defect. These birth defects can be caused by the the fetal development and can affect the mental or physical health of your child.

Screening for newborns and prenatal tests can be used by a health professional to detect certain birth defects during pregnancy. Other birth defects could only be identified after your child's birth or when symptoms begin to appear.

What is the cause of your child's deformity?

Many birth defects are still undiscovered. However, there are a few factors that can increase the likelihood of having a child born with a defect. These include using drugs or taking certain medications prior to the birth, having a family member who has a birth defect or having certain medical conditions, like rheumatic heart disease. Women who have an ancestral history of these disorders are advised to speak with a genetic counselor prior to getting pregnant.

The severity of a birth defect in a child is contingent on the body part affected and how severe the damage. The more severe a birth defect, the more serious the issues.

Most birth defects are caused by genes or the environment during the fetal growth. The chance of developing a birth defect is reduced by knowing about your family's history with genes and health issues by speaking to a genetic counselor, and following the prenatal care guidelines.

Structural defects are birth imperfections that affect how the body looks or functions. They may range from the visible like cleft lip and cleft palate, to the invisible, like metabolic disorders or chromosome disorder. Inherited genetic conditions are one type of birth defect that is structural, and environmental factors like the absence of folic acid can lead to neural tube defects, which can result in the spinal cord or brain not developing properly.

Find More Evidence than You Think You Can.

There are many medical procedures that a pregnant woman may undergo to determine the cause of a possible birth defect. One example is amniocentesis, Legal which involves a medical professional taking a small amount of fetal fluid to test. This test may reveal chromosomal mutations, as well as other health issues such as infections (such as rubella or Zika) or genetic disorders.

A doctor can examine the amniotic fluid, blood and fetus's tissues for muabanthuenha.com indications of a birth defect. These tests are crucial to determining the root of hondo birth defect attorney defects. They can also determine the extent of the birth defect and the impact it has on a child's adult life.

However certain birth defects could be missed until a baby is born or, in rare cases, as an adult. These issues aren't easily detected before they are present and are usually only detected by using equipment for diagnosing. In these cases, it's crucial that the medical expert witness involved is familiar with these technologies and has the appropriate experience to recognize these defects. A seasoned medical malpractice lawyer is able to determine the appropriate specialist for your particular case.

Employ a Medical Malpractice Lawyer

A child born with a severe defect or birth injury can alter the life of families. These injuries can cause lasting physical and mental health challenges needing medical attention for the rest of their lives.

Medical science is able to explain approximately 30 percent of birth defects, but many others are still a mystery. Research has revealed that certain chemicals and substances such as those found in prescription or over the counter medicines taken by mothers, toxic chemicals in the homes and communities as well as contaminated groundwater and air can cause birth defects.

Doctors are required to evaluate the medications taken by a pregnant mother and inform her of any potential risks to the fetus. If they fail to fulfill this duty, they may be held accountable for birth defects that are caused by medications.

Doctors are also required to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of any equipment or procedure they recommend to pregnant women. This includes x-ray equipment, surgical instruments and other equipment. This could cause serious harm for a baby when a doctor uses the equipment negligently or fails to calibrate it correctly. This would be considered malpractice. If this happens you should contact a medical negligence lawyer as soon as you can. In some states, you're allowed only one year to file a lawsuit for medical malpractice and it's recommended to begin the process as soon as you can.

Begin by completing the first Step

Birth defects affect one out of 33 babies born every year and are a major reason for infant death. The condition can be life-threatening and result in a variety of long-term cognitive, emotional, and physical challenges. Scientists have in a few cases linked the causes of birth defects to the mother's exposures to prescription and over-the-counter drugs or environmental toxins, as well as complications of motherhood, infections, pregnancy and delivery or a family medical history or genetic diseases (like sickle cell disease, PKU, or genetic diseases). However, in a majority of birth defects cases, the causes are unknown.

Certain birth defects are easily evident and can be found at birth or in the first year of life. Some birth defects, such as heart defects, intellectual and developmental disabilities require tests specific to determine the cause.

Researchers are attempting to determine the causes of birth defects and how these can be avoided. For instance smoking, drink alcohol or take illegal drugs during pregnancy increase their risk of having a baby with certain san diego birth defect law firm defects. Women with a family history of inherited genetic disorders should consider seeing a genetic counselor before trying to get pregnant. They can also use the March of Dimes Family Health History form to collect data on medical conditions that run through their families. This information should be shared with their doctor or genetic counselor.