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What Causes a Birth Defect?

The last thing a expecting parent wants to learn is that their child might have a birth defect. These birth defects are caused by things that occur during the fetal stage and could affect your child's physical or mental health.

Prenatal screening and newborn screening can be utilized by a health professional to detect certain birth defects that can occur during pregnancy. Other birth defects may be discovered only after the birth defect law firms of your child, or after symptoms start to show.

What was the reason for your child's deformity?

Many birth defects remain unknown. There are certain factors that increase the chance of a woman having a child with a birth defect. This includes using medications or taking certain medications prior to the birth, having a family member who has birth defects or certain medical conditions, such as rheumatic heart disease. Women who have an ancestral history of these diseases are advised to speak with an expert on genetics prior to becoming pregnant.

The extent to which a birth defect in a child causes serious problems or not is contingent upon the body part that is affected and the extent of the body part is affected. The more severe a birth defect, the more severe the issues.

Most birth defects are caused by genetics or the environment during the fetal development. You can lower the risk of having a birth defect by speaking with a genetic counselor as well as learning about the health background of your family and having a conversation with a geneticist.

Structural defects are birth defects that affect the way a part of your body appears or functions. They may be visible, like cleft lips and cleft palettes. They can also be invisible, such as chromosome disorders or Birth defect metabolic conditions. Genetic disorders that are inherited are a type of birth defect that is structural, and environmental factors like the lack of folic acid can lead to neural tube defects that can result in the spinal cord or brain not developing correctly.

Gather More Evidence Than You Think

There are a variety of medical procedures pregnant mothers is able to undergo in order to find out more about the possibility of birth defects. Amniocentesis is a prime example, where a healthcare provider takes a small sample of fluid from the fetus for testing. This procedure can reveal chromosomal abnormalities and birth defect other health conditions such as infections (such as Zika or rubella) or genetic anomalies.

A doctor can examine the amniotic liquid, blood and tissues of a fetus to determine if there are signs of birth defect. These tests are essential in finding out the causes of birth defects. They also help determine the severity of birth defect and the impact it has on a child's future.

However, some birth defects can be missed until a baby is born, or in rare cases, as an adult. This is due to the fact that these issues are not readily apparent until they become apparent, and may only be recognized with the help of diagnostic equipment. In these cases, the medical expert witness must be conversant with the technologies and have the education required to be able to spot these issues. A medical malpractice lawyer with experience should be able identify the best expert for your case.

Employ an attorney who specializes in medical malpractice

If 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 lead to lifelong physical and mental challenges that require medical attention for the rest of his life.

Medical science can pinpoint the root causes of around 30% of birth defects, others remain unsolved. Research has revealed that certain chemicals and substances can cause birth defects, for example those that are found in prescription and over-the-counter medicines that mothers are prescribed as well as the toxic chemicals that work in some communities and homes, or in contaminated air and groundwater.

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

Doctors also have the responsibility to assess the safety of any procedure or equipment they recommend for pregnant women. This includes x-ray machines, surgical instruments, and other equipment. This could have serious consequences for a newborn baby when a doctor uses the equipment in a negligent manner or fails to calibrate it correctly. This is considered medical malpractice. If this happens, it's important to consult a medical malpractice lawyer as soon as you can. In some states, you're given only one year to file a case for medical malpractice, so it's best to start the process as soon as you can.

Step 1. Step

Birth defects affect 1 out of 33 babies born each year and are a major reason for infant mortality. These issues can be life-threatening, and can trigger permanent physical, cognitive and emotional challenges. Scientists have in a few cases identified the causes of birth defects due to exposure of the mother to prescription and over-the-counter drugs, environmental toxins, complications of motherhood, infections, the birth and pregnancy, family medical history, or genetic disorders (like sickle cell disease PKU, also known as genetic diseases). However, in the majority of birth defects cases the cause is unknown.

Certain birth defects, including hearing loss or clubfoot are easy to detect and can be diagnosed at birth or within the first year of a child's life. Some birth defects, such as heart defects, intellectual and developmental disabilities, require specific tests to be identified.

Researchers are trying to figure out the root of birth defects, and how they can be avoided. For instance smoking and drink alcohol or consume illegal drugs during pregnancy increase the chance of having a baby with certain defects. Women with a family history of inherited genetic disorders should think about seeing a genetic counselor before trying to become pregnant. They can also use the March of Dimes Family Health History form to collect data regarding medical conditions that are prevalent through their families. This information should be shared with their doctor or genetic counselor.