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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 problems are caused by events that occur during the fetal development and can affect the physical or mental health of your child.

Prenatal screening and newborn screening can be utilized by a health professional to identify certain birth defects during pregnancy. Other birth defects could be discovered only after the birth of your child or when symptoms begin to appear.

What caused your child's deformity?

Many birth defects remain undiscovered. There are a few factors that can increase the risk of a woman having a child with a birth defect. Some of these include using certain medications or taking certain drugs prior to conception, having an ancestral history of birth defects, or having medical conditions, such as rheumatic diseases. Women with an established history of these diseases should consult a genetic counselor about their options prior to getting pregnant.

The severity of a birth defect in a child varies on the affected body part and how severe the damage. Usually, the more severe the defect is then the more severe the problems will be.

The majority of birth defects are caused by genetics or the environment during the fetal development. The risk of having a birth defect can be reduced by gaining knowledge about your family's history with health issues and genes and speaking with a genetic counselor and following the prenatal care guidelines.

Structural defects are birth imperfections that affect how the body looks or functions. They can be visible, like cleft lips, Cleft palettes, or they can be invisible, like chromosome conditions or metabolic disorders. Inherited genetic conditions are one type of structural birth defect, while environmental factors like an absence of folic acids can lead to neural tube defects, which cause the brain or spinal cord not developing properly.

Get More Evidence than You Think

There are a variety of medical procedures that pregnant mothers is able to undergo in order to discover more about the possibility of a birth defect. Amniocentesis is one of them, which involves a medical professional taking a small sample of fetal fluid for analysis. This procedure may reveal chromosomal irregularities and other health conditions such as infections (such as Zika or rubella) or genetic anomalies.

A doctor may also test a fetus' blood amniotic fluid, fetal blood and the tissues of its umbilical cord for signs of birth defects. These tests are crucial in finding out the causes of birth defects. They can also assist in determining how severe the birth defect is and the effect it may be having 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, when an adult. These conditions aren't readily apparent prior to their onset and can be detected by using diagnostic equipment. In these cases the medical expert witness must be familiar with the latest technologies and possess the necessary training to recognize the defects. An experienced medical malpractice attorney should be able to identify the right expert for your case.

Hire a Medical Malpractice Attorney

A child born with a serious defect or a serious birth injury can alter the life of families. These injuries can create life-long physical and emotional problems and often require an entire lifetime of medical attention.

Medical science may explain around 30 percent of birth defect cases but the rest are still unsolved. Research has shown certain chemicals and substances like those in prescription or over the counter medicines taken by mothers or children, harmful chemicals in the community and in homes as well as contaminated groundwater and air may cause birth defects.

Doctors are required to examine a pregnant mother's current medications and advise her about any risks to the embryo. If they fail in this obligation, they could be held accountable for birth defects that are caused by medications.

Doctors are also required to determine the safety and efficacy of any procedure or device they recommend to pregnant women. This includes x-ray devices, surgical instruments and other equipment. If a physician is negligent when using the equipment or fails properly calibrate the equipment it could have grave consequences for the baby. This would be considered to be malpractice. It's important to contact a medical malpractice lawyer immediately if this happens. In some states, you're allowed only one year to file a complaint for medical malpractice, so it's best to begin the process as soon as possible.

Start with the First Step

Birth defects are the primary cause of infant mortality. They affect one in 33 babies every year. These issues could be life-threatening, and can lead to long-term physical, cognitive and emotional issues. In some cases, scientists have connected the causes to mother's exposure to prescription or over-the counter drugs, toxins in the environment or in the maternal environment, as well as complications of pregnancy and delivery, or medical history of the family (like genetic illnesses, sickle cell disease or PKU). In about 70% of cases, the reason is unknown.

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

Researchers are trying to determine the root of birth Defect Law firms defects, and how they can be avoided. For instance, women who smoke and drink alcohol or consume illegal drugs during pregnancy increase the chances of having a child with certain birth defects. Women with a history of family members with inherited genetic disorders should consider seeing a genetic counselor before trying to get pregnant. They should also fill out the March of Dimes family health history form to collect data regarding medical conditions that run in their families and share it with their doctor or genetic counselor.