What Causes a Birth Defect?

It's the last thing that an expecting parents wants to hear: Their child may have a birth defect. These birth defects are caused factors that occur in the fetal period and can affect your child's physical or mental health.

A health professional can identify birth defects during pregnancy with the prenatal test or newborn screening. Other birth defects can only be detected after the birth of your child or when symptoms start to show.

What was the cause of your child's error?

Many birth defects are not known. However there are a few things that increase a woman's risk of having a baby born with a defect. One of them is using certain medications or taking certain drugs before becoming pregnant, having an ancestral history of birth defects, or having medical conditions, such as rheumatic diseases. Women who have an established history of these diseases should talk to an expert on genetic counseling about their options prior getting pregnant.

The severity of a birth defect in a child varies on the body part that is affected and the extent to which it is affected. The more severe the birth defect the more severe the problems.

Most birth defects are caused by genetics or the environment during fetal development. You can reduce your risk of developing a birth defect by speaking with a genetic counselor, learning about the health history of your family, and meeting with a geneticist.

Structural birth defects are those that change the way a part of your body appears or performs. They may be visible, like cleft lips and cleft palettes, or invisible, like chromosome conditions or metabolic conditions. Inherited genetic conditions are one kind of structural birth defect, while environmental factors, such as the lack of folic acid can lead to neural tube defects that result in the spinal cord and brain not developing correctly.

Gather More Evidence than You Think You Can.

There are many medical procedures pregnant mothers is able to undergo in order to determine the cause of a possible birth defect. One of them is amniocentesis that involves a doctor taking a small sample of the fetal fluid to be tested. This procedure can reveal chromosomal changes, as well as other health issues such as infections (such as rubella or Zika) or genetic anomalies.

A doctor may also test the blood of a fetus, amniotic fluid and even the tissues of its umbilical cord for indications of birth defects. These tests are vital in finding out the cause of birth defect. They can also help determine how serious the birth defect could be and the effects it could be having on a child's his or her adult life.

However certain lake dallas birth defect attorney defects could go undetected until a baby is born or, in rare instances, even as an adult. These issues aren't easily detected when they occur and are sometimes only detected with equipment for diagnosing. For these kinds of situations, it is essential that the medical expert witness in question is well-versed in these technologies and has the appropriate experience to detect these flaws. An experienced medical malpractice lawyer is able to determine the most suitable expert for your case.

Hire an attorney for Medical Malpractice

A child born with a severe defect or a serious birth injury can completely change the life of a family. These injuries can cause permanent physical and mental problems that require medical attention for the rest of their lives.

While medical science is able to pinpoint the underlying causes behind about 30% of birth defects, others remain a mystery. Research has shown certain chemicals and substances such as those found in prescription or over the counter medications taken by a mother or in toxic chemicals found in homes and communities or in groundwater that has been contaminated with air can cause birth defects.

Doctors have a duty to examine a pregnant mother's current medications and inform her of any possible dangers for the embryo. If they fail in their obligation, they could be held responsible for birth defects caused by medication.

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 tools, and any other equipment. If a physician is negligent when using the equipment, or fails to properly calibrate the equipment it could lead to grave consequences for the baby. This would be considered malpractice. It's important to speak with a medical malpractice lawyer as soon as you can if this happens. In certain states, you're only given one year to file a medical malpractice case, so the sooner you begin the process the more favorable.

Begin by completing the first Step

Birth defects are the most common cause of infant death. They affect one in 33 babies every year. These issues can 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 medications, toxins accumulated in the environment or in the maternal environment, as well as complications during pregnancy and delivery or family medical history (like genetic illnesses such as sickle cell disease or PKU). In the majority of cases, the reason is not known.

Certain birth defects are easily evident and can be found when a baby is born or in the first year of life. Some birth defects, like heart defects or developmental and intellectual disabilities, require special tests to detect.

Researchers are trying to figure out what can cause Doraville Birth Defect Attorney defects and how them may be prevented. Women who smoke, drink or consume illegal substances while pregnant increase their risk for having a child with certain defects. Women who have a family history of inherited genetic disorders should think about seeing a genetic counselor prior to trying to become pregnant. They should also fill out the March of Dimes family health history form to gather information regarding medical conditions that run in their families and then share it with their doctor or a genetic counselor.