What Causes a Birth Defect?

It's the last thing any expectant parent wants to hear: Their child may have a birth defect. These defects can be caused by the fetal growth and can affect the mental or physical health of your child.

A health care provider can identify birth defects during pregnancy using prenatal testing or newborn screening. However other birth defects could not be diagnosed until after the baby is born or later when they develop symptoms.

What was the reason for your child's deformity?

Many birth defects remain undiscovered. However, there are a few things that can increase a woman's risk of having a baby with a defect. Some of these include taking drugs or certain medications before getting pregnant or having an ancestral history of birth defects, or having medical conditions, such as rheumatic diseases. Women who have an history of these conditions should consult a genetic counselor about their options prior getting pregnant.

Whether a child's birth defect can cause serious health issues or not will depend on which body part is affected and how much of the body part affected. Typically, the more severe the defect and the more serious the problem will be.

The majority of birth defects are caused by genes or the environment during the development of the fetus. You can reduce the chance of having a birth defect by speaking with a genetic counselor as well as learning about the health background 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 can range from visible such as cleft lips and cleft palate to the invisibly, such as chromosome disorders or metabolic conditions. Genetic conditions that are passed down through the generations could be a form of structural birth defects. Environmental factors, like the absence of folic acid can cause neural tube defects, which result in brain or spinal cord development not working as intended.

Get More Evidence than You Think

There are several medical procedures that a pregnant woman can undergo to learn more about potential birth defects. Amniocentesis can be one of them, where a healthcare provider takes tiny amounts of fluid from the fetus for analysis. This test may reveal chromosomal irregularities and other health conditions, such as infections (such as Zika or rubella) or genetic anomalies.

A doctor can test the amniotic liquid, blood and the fetus's tissues for signs of birth defect. These tests are essential to finding out the reason for a birth defect. They can also help determine how severe a birth defect will be and the consequences it could affect a child later in their adult life.

However certain birth defects may be unnoticed until the baby is born, or in rare instances, when an adult. These issues are not readily apparent until they become apparent, and can sometimes only be diagnosed using diagnostic equipment. In these cases, it's crucial that the medical expert witness involved is familiar with these technologies and has the proper training to be able to identify such defects. A seasoned medical malpractice attorney should be able to identify the appropriate specialist for your particular case.

Employ a Medical Malpractice Lawyer

A child born with a severe defect or birth injury can alter the life of the family. These injuries can create life-long physical and emotional issues which often require a lifetime of medical care.

Medical science may explain around 30% of birth defect cases However, the majority of cases are still a mystery. Studies have shown that certain chemicals and substances may cause birth defects, such as those present in prescription or over the counter medications that mothers use or the toxic chemicals at work in some communities and in homes, or the contaminating air and groundwater.

Doctors are required to evaluate the mother's current medications, and advise her of any dangers to the fetus. When they fail in this duty, they can be held liable for birth defect law firm defects caused by medication.

Doctors are also required to assess the safety and effectiveness of any equipment or procedure they recommend to pregnant women. This includes x-ray equipment, surgical instruments and other equipment. It could be a serious risk for a baby should a doctor use the equipment negligently or does not calibrate it properly. This would be considered medical malpractice. It's important to get in touch with a medical malfeasance lawyer immediately when this happens. In some states you have only one year to file a claim for medical malpractice and it's recommended to begin the process as soon as possible.

Start with the First Step

Birth defects affect 1 out of 33 babies born every year and are a major reason for infant mortality. The conditions can be life-threatening and can cause a myriad of physical, emotional and cognitive challenges. Scientists have in some cases connected the north kansas city birth defect attorney - click the up coming internet site, defects' causes due to exposure of the mother to prescription or over-the-counter medicines, environmental toxins, maternal infections, complications during delivery and pregnancy and family medical history or genetic illnesses (like sickle cell disease PKU, or other genetic illnesses). In the majority of cases, the cause is not known.

Certain birth defects are readily visible and can be detected when a baby is born or in the first year. Others, vimeo such as heart problems or intellectual and developmental disabilities are not as obvious and require specialized tests.

Researchers are trying to figure out the causes of birth defects and how they can be prevented. For instance smoking or drink alcohol or take illegal drugs during pregnancy increase the risk of having a baby with a defect. Women with a family history involving genetic disorders inherited from their parents may want to speak with a genetic counselor prior to trying to be pregnant. They can also use the March of Dimes Family Health History form to gather information on medical conditions that run through their families. This information should be shared with their doctor or genetic counselor.