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What Causes a Birth Defect?

It's the last thing an expectant parent wants to hear: Their child may be born with a defect. These birth defects are caused by things that happen during fetal development and can affect your child's mental or physical health.

A doctor can detect birth defects during pregnancy by using the prenatal test or newborn screening. However, other birth defects may not be identified until after the baby is born or when they start to develop symptoms.

What caused your child's deficiency?

Many birth defects remain undiscovered. However there are some factors that can increase a woman's risk of having a child with defects. These include using drugs or taking certain medications prior to pregnancy, a history of having a family member with a birth defect or having certain medical conditions like rheumatic heart disease. Women who have a family history of these disorders are advised to consult an expert on genetics prior to becoming pregnant.

The degree to which a birth defect law firm defect causes serious issues or not will depend on which body part is affected and how much of the body part is affected. The more severe the birth defect the greater the severity of the problems.

Most birth defects are caused either by genes or environment during fetal development. The risk of having a birth defect can be decreased by educating yourself about your family's history with genes and health issues or talking to a genetic counselor and following the prenatal care guidelines.

Structural defects are birth issues that affect how an area of your body appears or performs. They may be visible such as cleft lips and Cleft palettes, or they can be invisible, such as chromosome disorders or metabolic conditions. Inherited genetic conditions are one type of structural birth defect, while environmental factors such as the absence of folic acid can lead to neural tube defects that result in the brain or spinal cord not developing correctly.

Find More Evidence Than You Think You Can.

There are a variety of medical procedures a pregnant mother can undergo to discover more about the possibility of birth defects. Amniocentesis is one example, in which a healthcare professional takes an insignificant amount of fluid from the fetus for testing. This procedure can reveal chromosomal abnormalities and other health conditions, such as infections (such as Zika or rubella) or genetic anomalies.

A doctor can also test the blood of a fetus amniotic fluid, fetal blood and the tissues of its umbilical cord for indications of birth defects. These tests are essential in diagnosing the root of birth defects. They can also help determine how severe the birth defect is and the impact it will have on a child in the years to come.

However, some birth defects can remain unnoticed until a child is born or, in rare instances, when an adult. These issues aren't easily detected when they occur and are sometimes only detected by using diagnostic equipment. For these kinds of situations, it is essential that the medical expert witness in question is familiar with these techniques and has the correct education to recognize these defects. A medical malpractice lawyer with experience should be able to identify the most appropriate specialist for your case.

Find a Medical Malpractice Attorney

When a child is born with a severe birth defect or suffers a devastating birth injury, it can completely turn a family's lives upside down. These injuries can cause long-lasting physical and emotional challenges, often requiring a lifetime of medical care.

Medical science is able to explain approximately 30 percent of birth defect cases but the rest remain a mystery. Research has revealed that certain chemicals and substances can cause birth defects, such as those present in prescription or over the counter medicines that mothers are prescribed as well as the toxic chemicals that the heart of some communities and homes, or in contaminated air and groundwater.

Doctors must evaluate the medications taken by a pregnant mother and inform her of any possible risks to the embryo. If they fail to perform this obligation, they could be held responsible for birth defects that are caused by medications.

Doctors also have the responsibility to determine the safety of any procedure or device they recommend to pregnant women. This includes xray machines, surgical tools, and any other equipment. If a physician is negligent when using the equipment or fails properly calibrate the equipment, it could lead to serious consequences for the baby. This is considered medical malpractice. If this occurs, it's important to seek out a medical malpractice lawyer as soon as you can. In some states, you have only a single year to file a medical negligence case, so the sooner you begin the process the better.

Start with the First Step

Birth defects affect 1 in 33 babies born each year, and are a major cause of infant mortality. The condition could be life-threatening and cause long-term mental, emotional and physical issues. In some instances, researchers have identified the causes as a mother's exposure to prescription and over-the-counter drugs, toxins in the environment as well as maternal infections, complications of pregnancy and birth defect law Firms or a family medical history (like genetic illnesses such as sickle cell disease or PKU). In around 70% of cases, the cause is not known.

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

Researchers are trying to discover what can cause birth defects and how some of them can be prevented. For instance women who smoke or drink alcohol or take illegal drugs during pregnancy increase their risk of having a baby with a defect. Women with a history of family members with inherited genetic disorders should think about seeing a genetic counselor before trying to become pregnant. They could also use the March of Dimes Family Health History form to collect information about medical conditions that run through their families. This information should be shared with their doctor or genetic counselor.