The Most Prevalent Issues In Birth Defect Attorney

What Causes a Birth Defect?

It's not something that any expectant parent wants to hear: Their child could be born with a birth defect. These defects are caused by things that occur during the fetal stage and could affect your child's mental or physical health.

A health care provider can identify birth defects during pregnancy with the prenatal test or newborn screening. However, other birth defects may not be identified until after your child's birth or later, when they begin to show symptoms.

What is the cause of your child's deformity?

Many birth defects are still undiscovered. However there are a few factors that increase the chance of having a baby with a defect. This includes using medications or taking certain medications prior to the birth, having a family member with a birth defect or having certain medical conditions, like rheumatic heart disease. Women who have a family history of these disorders are advised to speak with a genetic counsellor defects before becoming pregnant.

The degree to which a birth defect can cause serious health issues or not is contingent upon the body part that is affected and the extent of the body part affected. Typically, the more severe the defect is it, the more serious the problem will be.

The majority of birth defects are caused by genetics or the environment during the fetal development. You can reduce your risk of developing a birth defect by talking to a genetic counsellor as well as learning about the health history of your family, and meeting with a geneticist.

Structural defects are birth defect lawsuits imperfections that affect how an element of your body looks or performs. They can be obvious, like cleft lips and cleft palettes, or invisible, like chromosome issues or metabolic conditions. Genetic conditions that are passed down through the generations could be a form of birth defects that are structural. Environmental causes, such as the absence of folic acid can cause neural tube defects that result in the development of the spinal or brain not functioning as it should.

Find More Evidence Than You Think

There are a variety of medical procedures that pregnant mothers can undergo to learn more about the possibility of birth defects. One example is amniocentesis, that involves a doctor taking a small amount of fetal fluid for testing. This procedure can reveal chromosomal defects and other health conditions such as infections (such as Zika or rubella) or genetic anomalies.

A doctor can examine the amniotic fluid, blood and the fetus's tissues for signs of a birth defect. These tests are crucial in determining the root of birth defects. They also help determine the degree of a birth defect and its effects on the adult life of a child.

However certain birth defects could go undetected until a baby is born or, in rare instances, when an adult. These conditions aren't readily apparent prior to their onset and are usually only detected with diagnostic equipment. In these instances, the medical expert witness should be acquainted with the latest technologies and possess the knowledge and experience required to recognize these defects. A lawyer who has experience should be able identify the right specialist for your case.

Hire a Medical Malpractice Attorney

A child born with a severe defect or birth injury could completely alter the life of the family. These injuries can cause lasting physical and mental health challenges and defects require medical treatment for the rest of his life.

While medical science can identify the underlying causes behind about 30% of birth defects others remain unsolved. Research has proven that certain chemicals and substances may cause birth defects, such as those found in prescription or over-the-counter medications that mothers use or the toxic chemicals at play in certain communities and in homes, or the contaminating groundwater and air.

Doctors must evaluate the medication used by the mother-to-be and inform her of any possible dangers to the fetus. If they fail to meet this obligation, they could be held responsible for birth defects caused by medications.

Doctors are also required to determine the safety and effectiveness of any equipment or procedure they recommend to pregnant women. This includes x-ray devices, surgical instruments and other equipment. This could cause serious harm for a baby in the event that a physician uses the equipment improperly or does not calibrate it properly. This is considered medical malpractice. If this occurs it is important to contact a medical negligence attorney as soon as you can. In some states, you only have a single year to file a medical negligence case, so the faster you start the process, the more favorable.

Begin by completing the first Step

Birth defects are the leading cause of infant death. They affect one in 33 babies each year. The conditions could be life-threatening and result in a variety of long-term physical, emotional and cognitive problems. Scientists have in some cases connected the causes of birth defects to the mother's exposures to prescription or over-the-counter medicines, environmental toxins, maternal infections, complications during the birth and pregnancy or a family medical history or genetic diseases (like sickle cell disease PKU, also known as genetic diseases). However, in approximately 70% of all birth defect cases, the causes are unknown.

Some birth defects are easily evident and can be found either at birth or during the first year. Some birth defects, like heart defects, intellectual and development disabilities, require special tests to determine the cause.

Researchers are trying to discover what causes birth defects and how they can be avoided. Women who drink, smoke or take illegal drugs when pregnant increase their risk for having a child born with certain defects. Women who have a family history of inherited genetic disorders should think about seeing a genetic counselor before trying to get pregnant. They can also use the March of Dimes Family Health History form to gather information regarding medical conditions that are prevalent through their families. This information should be shared with their doctor or genetic counselor.