What Causes a Birth Defect?
It's the last thing an expecting parents wants to hear: Their child could be born with a birth defect. These issues are caused by things that happen during the fetal development and can affect the mental or physical health of your child.
Prenatal screening and newborn screening can be used by a health care provider to identify certain birth defects during pregnancy. However, other birth defects may not be identified until after the birth of your child or later when they develop symptoms.
What caused your child's deformity?
Many birth defects are still undiscovered. There are several factors which can increase the chances of a woman having a child with birth defect. This includes using medications or taking certain medications before pregnancy, having a family member with birth defects or certain medical conditions, like rheumatic heart disease. Women who have a family history of these conditions are advised to consult an expert on genetics prior to getting pregnant.
The degree of birth defect in a child depends on the body part that is affected and the degree to which it is affected. The more severe the defect is, the more severe the issues will be.
The majority of birth defects are caused through genetics or environmental factors during fetal growth. You can lower the risk of having a birth defect by speaking with a genetic counselor, 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 looks or functions. They may be visible like cleft lips and Cleft palettes, but also invisible, like chromosome issues or metabolic conditions. Genetic conditions that are passed down through the generations are one type of structural birth defect while environmental factors such as the lack of folic acid can cause neural tube defects, which cause spinal cord and brain not developing properly.
Find More Evidence Than You Think
There are a number of medical procedures that pregnant women can undergo to discover more about possible
monroeville birth defect law firm defects. Amniocentesis is one of them, which involves a medical professional taking a small amount of the fetal fluid to be tested. This test could reveal chromosomal variations as well as other health conditions such as infections (such as rubella or Zika) or genetic disorders.
A doctor can test the amniotic fluid, blood and tissues of a fetus to determine if there are signs of birth defect. These tests are crucial to determining the root of birth defects. They also aid in determining how severe a birth defect will be and the effects it could have on a child in his or her adult life.
However, some birth defects can go undetected until a baby is born, or in rare cases, as an adult. These problems aren't visible before they are present and are often only discovered by using equipment for diagnosing. For these kinds of cases, it is crucial that the medical expert witness is well-versed in these technologies and has the proper knowledge to spot these issues. A medical malpractice lawyer with years of experience will be able to determine the right specialist for your case.
Employ a Medical Malpractice Lawyer
When a child is born with a serious birth defect or suffers a severe birth injury, it could completely turn a family's life upside down. These injuries can create life-long physical and psychological challenges which often require ongoing medical treatment.
Medical science could explain up to 30 percent of birth defects However, the majority of cases remain a mystery. Research has revealed that certain chemicals and substances, such as those found in prescription or over-the-counter medication taken by mothers, toxic chemicals in homes and communities as well as contaminated groundwater and air, can cause birth defects.
Doctors are required to assess an expectant mother's current medications and advise her about any dangers to the fetus. If they fail in this duty, they may be held accountable for
brookings birth defect lawsuit defects caused by medication.
Doctors are also required to determine the safety of any procedure or device they recommend for pregnant women. This includes x-ray equipment, surgical instruments, and other equipment. This could result in serious consequences for a child in the event that a physician uses the equipment in error or fails to calibrate it correctly. This would be considered medical malpractice. It is crucial to contact a medical negligence lawyer as soon as you can in the event of this happening. In certain states, you have only one year to file a lawsuit for medical malpractice, so it's best to start the process as soon as you can.
Start with the First Step
Birth defects affect one of 33 babies born each year and are the most common cause of infant mortality. These issues are life-threatening, and can trigger lasting physical, cognitive and emotional challenges. Researchers have in a few instances linked the birth defects' causes to the mother's exposures to prescription and over-the-counter medications as well as environmental toxins, maternal infections, complications during delivery and pregnancy or a family medical history or genetic diseases (like sickle cell disease PKU, also known as genetic illnesses). In about 70% of cases, the cause is not known.
Certain birth defects are easily noticeable and can be detected at
west chester birth Defect Law Firm or within the first year. Some birth defects, such as heart defects or intellectual and developmental disabilities, require specific tests to detect.
Researchers are trying to figure out the cause of birth defects and how they can be prevented. Women who smoke, drink or take illegal drugs while pregnant are at a higher risk of having a child with certain defects. Women with a history of family members that includes genetic disorders inherited from their parents may want to consult with a genetic counselor prior to trying to get pregnant. They should also fill out the March of Dimes family health history form to collect information about medical conditions that run in their families and then share it with their doctor or a genetic counselor.
