Birth Defect Attorneys: What s The Only Thing Nobody Has Discussed

Birth Defects and Medical Malpractice

In the United States, a baby is born with a defect that occurs every four and a quarter minutes. These birth defects can have a lasting effect on the lives of those affected.

Different ways in which cases are identified and classified can result in the over- or under-ascertainment certain subtypes of birth defects. A well-designed system can include active case ascertainment that includes medical record abstraction and clinical review in addition to passive reporting.

Causes

When the baby is born with a defect, injury or other it could have serious health effects on the child's life. Birth defects are usually caused by a medical mistake or a mistake made by a doctor during pregnancy.

In certain cases, birth defects can be prevented with prenatal care and proper nutrition. In certain instances, birth defects can be caused by environmental factors like exposure to toxic chemicals or toxins. Birth defects may also be caused by complications that occur during pregnancy, such as uterine constraint rupture of the amniotic sac, or a lack of oxygen to the foetus (also known as anoxic brain injury).

Certain birth defects result from genetic diseases that run in families. These can be identified with the use of a blood test or an ultrasound. Some of these diseases, such as PKU and sickle cell disease are treatable or prevented. Other birth defects are not known to have a reason and are classified as congenital disorders or congenital anomalies.

Women who are older than 30 and of certain ethnicities have an increased risk of developing certain birth defects. Couples with the same history of genetic diseases may wish to speak with a genetic counselor before attempting to have a baby. This can help couples determine if they need to undergo further testing. Newborn screening tests are able to detect certain conditions like congenital defects that are critical and certain infections that could be treated immediately.

Diagnosis

Birth defects are abnormal growths that may affect any part of the human body. They can affect the way organs function, or the structure of a person. A healthcare professional can spot birth defects during pregnancy or after the baby is born or during early childhood. Some birth defects are visible such as cleft lips and palates, or craniofacial disorders, while others are less evident, such as congenital heart disease and biliary atresia (an obstruction of the duct that carries the bile into the liver).

Many birth defects can be identified by newborn screening tests which are designed to detect certain health issues. PKU congenital hypothyroidism and sickle cell disease are just a few of the conditions that can be diagnosed through newborn screening tests. Newborn screening can also detect certain genetic diseases like Down syndrome. A doctor can detect some birth defects through ultrasounds during pregnancy as well as blood tests, depending on the type of defect.

It may not always be possible to determine the cause of birth defects, but it is often associated with environmental factors. This could be due to exposure to prescription or over-the-counter medicines, chemical substances that contaminate the air and water of communities, or complications that occur during pregnancy or birth. Other times, birth defects are due to a physician failing to take the appropriate measures to prevent or treat a known medical health condition. In these situations the possibility of a claim for medical malpractice might be filed.

Treatment

If a birth defect is recognized, the treatment options differ depending on the nature and severity of the problem. Some birth defects can be fixed before the baby is born. Others may require surgery or medical intervention after the baby is born.

Some of the most common birth defects are chromosomal, due to missing or additional genes in a person's cells. These are usually inherited from parents. Structural birth defects include things like cleft lip or neural tube defects as well as heart problems. These birth defects are caused by problems with the organ development of the baby, particularly in the first three month of pregnancy.

Screening tests for birth defects may be conducted during pregnancy, after a baby is born or later in life when symptoms start to show. The tests can be carried out through ultrasounds or blood tests. One can also take genetic tests for birth defects to see whether they are predisposed to a particular ailment.

Preventing birth defects is not always straightforward. Certain birth defects are caused by complications that can occur during pregnancy, birth defects while others can be linked to environmental factors. The use of tobacco, drugs or alcohol during pregnancy can lead to birth defects. Some birth defects are also related to chemicals that are found in the environment, including herbicides and pesticides such as Agent Orange used during the Vietnam War from 1962 to 1971.

Compensation

Despite the recent advances in medicine, birth defect lawyer defects and injuries remain a tragic reality. Fortunately, many birth defects can be prevented. It is crucial to speak with an experienced lawyer if you suspect that birth defects could be the result of the negligence of medical experts. A compassionate and experienced medical malpractice attorney can help you understand your legal options and pursue compensation to cover your family's expenses and losses.

Our team of skilled birth defect attorneys defect lawyers has years of experience in handling cases of birth defects that are not correct. Our firm is a solely plaintiff-only law practice and we pride ourselves on the excellent service we offer to our clients. We will relieve you of the burden so that you can focus on your child, yourself and your entire family.

We can help you obtain compensation for any damages, including the future and past medical costs and lost income, as well as punitive damage in some cases, and emotional stress. Our lawyers will thoroughly investigate your case and then work to ensure the most favorable outcome for birth defects your family.

Drug manufacturers must ensure that their products are tested thoroughly before releasing them on the market, and inform customers about any possible side negative effects. If your child's birth defects resulted from a drug, you can make a claim for product liability with the assistance of a birth defect drug lawyer.