What s The Job Market For Birth Defect Attorney Professionals Like

What Causes a Birth Defect?

It's the last thing any expecting parents wants to hear: Their child may have a birth defect. These defects are caused by factors that occur during the fetal stage and could affect your child's mental or physical health.

A health professional can diagnose some birth defects during pregnancy with newborn screening or prenatal tests. However other birth defects can not be diagnosed until after the baby is born or a few years later when they show symptoms.

What was the reason for your child's deformity?

The causes of many birth defects remains unknown. There are several factors that increase the chance of a woman having a child with a birth defect. One of them is taking certain medications or drugs before getting pregnant or having an ancestral history of birth defects or having medical conditions such as rheumatic illness. Women who have an ancestral background of these disorders are advised to speak with an expert on genetics prior to getting pregnant.

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

Most birth defects are caused by genes or the environment during fetal development. You can reduce the chance of a birth deformity by consulting a genetic counselor and learning about the health history of your family and having a conversation with geneticists.

Structural birth defects alter how a particular part of the body appears or functions. They vary from the obvious, such as cleft lip and cleft palate to the invisible, like chromosome disorders or metabolic conditions. Genetically-inherited conditions could be a form of birth defects with structural causes. Environmental causes, such as a lack folic acid, can cause neural tube defects that lead to brain or spinal cord development not working as intended.

Find More Evidence Than You Think You Can.

There are a number of medical procedures that pregnant women undergo to discover more about the possibility of a birth defect. Amniocentesis is a prime example, which is when a healthcare professional collects tiny amounts of fluid from the fetus to conduct examination. This procedure may reveal chromosomal mutations, as well as other health conditions like infections (such as rubella or Zika) or genetic anomalies.

A doctor may also test a fetus' blood as well as amniotic fluid and the tissues of its umbilical cord for signs of birth defects. These tests are crucial in determining the cause of birth defects. They can also determine the degree of a birth defect and its effects on the adult life of a child.

However, some birth defects can go undetected until a baby is born or, in rare cases, as an adult. These issues aren't easily detected when they occur and can be detected through diagnostic equipment. For these types of cases, it is critical that the medical expert witness is knowledgeable about these technologies and has the correct experience to detect these flaws. A seasoned medical malpractice attorney should be able to identify the most suitable expert for your particular case.

Employ a Medical Malpractice Lawyer

If a child is born with a severe birth defect lawyers defect or suffers a devastating birth injury, it can completely turn a family's life upside down. These injuries can cause lasting physical and mental health challenges that require medical attention for the rest of their lives.

Medical science can pinpoint the underlying causes behind about 30 percent of birth defects, others remain unsolved. Studies have shown that certain chemicals and substances like those found in prescription or over the counter medication taken by mothers and toxic chemicals found in homes and communities or in groundwater that has been contaminated with air can cause birth defects.

Doctors are required by law to analyze the medications taken by the mother-to-be and inform her of any potential dangers to the baby. When they fail in this obligation, they could be held liable for birth defects caused by medication.

Doctors are also required to determine the safety and effectiveness of any equipment or procedure they recommend to pregnant women. This includes x ray instruments, surgical instruments and defect other equipment. If a doctor negligently uses the equipment or fails to properly calibrate the equipment it could lead to grave consequences for the baby. This is considered to be malpractice. It's important to get in touch with a medical malfeasance lawyer immediately should this happen. In some states, you are only allowed one year to file a medical negligence case, so the sooner you start the process the better.

Start with the First Step

Birth defects are the leading cause of infant mortality. They affect one in 33 babies each year. The conditions could be life-threatening and result in a variety of long-term mental, emotional and physical issues. Scientists have in some cases identified the birth defects' causes in mothers' exposure to prescription and over-the-counter medications or environmental toxins, as well as complications of motherhood, infections, delivery and pregnancy and family medical history or genetic diseases (like sickle cell disease PKU, or other genetic diseases). In around 70% of cases, the cause is not known.

Certain birth defects, such as clubfoot or hearing loss, are easily identifiable and can be identified either at birth or during the first year of a child's existence. Some birth defects, such as heart defects or defect intellectual and developmental disabilities require tests specific to determine the cause.

Researchers are trying to figure out what causes birth defects and how they can be prevented. Women who smoke, drink or take illegal drugs when pregnant are at a higher risk of having a child with certain defects. Women with a history of family members that includes genetic disorders that are passed down through generations may wish to consult a genetic counsellor 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 are prevalent in their families and then share it with their doctor or a genetic counselor.