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 factors that occur in the fetal period and can affect your child's physical or mental health.

A health care provider can detect birth defects in pregnancy through prenatal testing or newborn screening. Other birth defects may be discovered only after the birth of your child or when symptoms start to show.

What is the reason for your child's defect?

Many birth defects remain undiscovered. However there are a few things that increase a woman's risk of having a child born with a defect. Some of these include taking certain medications or prescription drugs prior to becoming pregnant, having a family history of birth defects or having medical conditions such as rheumatic disease. Women with an established history of these diseases should talk to a genetic counselor about their options before getting pregnant.

The degree to which a birth defect can cause serious health issues or not will depend on the body part that is affected and the extent of the body part affected. The more severe the sandpoint Birth defect law firm defect the greater the severity of the problems.

The majority of birth defects are caused by genes or the environment during fetal development. You can lower the risk of developing a birth defect by talking to a genetic counsellor as well as learning about the health history of your family, and meeting with a geneticist.

Structural defects are birth problems that affect the way a part of your body appears or performs. They may be visible, such as cleft lips and Cleft palettes, but also invisible, like chromosome conditions or metabolic conditions. Inherited genetic conditions can be a type of structural birth defects. Environmental factors, such as a lack folic acid, can cause neural tube defects, Sandpoint Birth defect law firm which result in the development of the spinal or brain not functioning as it should.

Find More Evidence than You Think

There are a variety of medical procedures that a pregnant woman is able to undergo in order to determine the cause of a possible birth defect. Amniocentesis can be one of them, in which a healthcare professional takes an insignificant amount of fluid from the fetus to conduct analysis. This procedure could reveal chromosomal anomalies, as well other health conditions, such as infections (such as Zika or rubella) or genetic anomalies.

A doctor may also examine the blood of a fetus as well as amniotic fluid and the umbilical cord for indications of birth defects. These tests are crucial to determining the causes of birth defects. They also aid in determining how serious a birth defect could be and the effect it may be having on a child's the years to come.

Some birth defects might not be identified until after the foley birth defect law firm of a baby or, in rare instances even as an adult. These problems aren't visible before they are present and are often only discovered through equipment for diagnosing. In these cases, the medical expert witness must be conversant with the latest technologies and possess the training necessary to be able to spot these issues. A medical malpractice lawyer with expertise should be able to pinpoint the right specialist for your case.

Employ a Medical Malpractice Lawyer

A child born with a severe defect or severe birth injury can completely change the life of the family. These injuries can lead to lifelong physical and mental challenges and require medical treatment for a lifetime.

Medical science may explain around 30 percent of birth defects but the rest are still unknown. Research has shown that certain chemicals and substances may cause birth defects, for example those found in prescription or over-the-counter medication that mothers take as well as the toxic chemicals that work in some communities and homes, as well as contaminated groundwater and air.

Doctors have a duty to assess an expectant mother's current medication and inform her of any possible risks for the foetus. If they fail to meet this obligation, they could be held responsible for birth defects caused by medication.

Doctors are also required to determine the safety and efficacy of any procedure or device they recommend to pregnant women. This includes xray machines, surgical tools, and other equipment. This could have serious consequences for a baby's health if a doctor uses the equipment in a negligent manner or does not calibrate it properly. This is considered to be malpractice. In the event of this you should contact a medical negligence attorney as quickly as you can. In certain states, you have only one year to file a lawsuit for medical malpractice and it's recommended to begin the process as soon as you can.

Take the First Step

owosso birth defect attorney defects are the leading cause of infant death. They affect one in 33 babies every year. These conditions can be life-threatening, and can trigger permanent physical, cognitive and emotional challenges. In some instances, researchers have identified the causes as a 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 a family medical history (like genetic diseases such as sickle cell disease or PKU). In about 70% of cases, the reason is unknown.

Certain birth defects are easily noticeable and can be detected when a baby is born or in the first year of life. Others, like heart defects or intellectual and developmental disabilities, are not as easily identified and require tests of a different kind.

Researchers are trying to discover what can cause birth defects and how them can be prevented. Women who drink, smoke or use illegal drugs while pregnant increase their risk for having a child with certain defects. Women who have a family history of genetic disorders inherited from their parents may want to consult a genetic counselor prior to trying to be pregnant. They should also fill out the March of Dimes family health history form to collect information about medical conditions that can be found in their families and discuss it with their doctor or genetic counselor.