20 Myths About Birth Defect Attorney: Busted

What Causes a Birth Defect?

The last thing that any expecting parent would like to hear is that their child might have a birth defect. These birth defects are caused by the things that happen in the fetal period and can affect your child's physical or mental health.

A medical professional can diagnose some birth defects in pregnancy through prenatal testing or newborn screening. However, other birth defects may not be identified until after your child's birth or later when they develop symptoms.

What caused your child's deformity?

The root of many birth defects remains unknown. However there are some factors that increase a woman's risk of having a child with defects. These include taking prescription drugs or taking certain medications prior to pregnancy, having a relative with birth defects or certain medical conditions, such as rheumatic heart disease. Women with an established history of these diseases should consult an expert in genetic counseling about their options prior to becoming pregnant.

The degree to which a birth defect causes serious issues or not is dependent on the body part that is affected and how much of the body part affected. The more severe the defect is it, the more serious the problems will be.

The majority of birth defects are caused by genes or the environment during the fetal development. The chance of developing birth defects can be decreased by educating yourself about your family's history with health issues and genes, talking to a genetic counselor and following the prenatal care guidelines.

Structural defects are birth problems that affect the way the body appears or functions. They can be visible, such as cleft lips and Cleft palettes, but also invisible, like chromosome conditions or metabolic conditions. Genetic disorders that are inherited can result in structural birth defects. Environmental factors, like a lack folic acid, can cause neural tube defects that result in the development of the spinal cord or brain not working as intended.

Get More Evidence than You Think You Can.

There are many medical procedures a pregnant mother is able to undergo in order to learn more about the possibility of birth defects. One of these is amniocentesis that involves a doctor taking a small amount of fetal fluid to test. This test may reveal chromosomal irregularities as well as other health issues like infections (such as Zika or rubella) or genetic anomalies.

A doctor can also examine the blood of a fetus amniotic fluid, fetal blood and the umbilical cord for indications of birth defects. These tests are crucial in finding out the cause of birth defects. They can also determine the extent of the birth defect and its effect on a child's adult life.

However, some birth defects can be missed until a baby is born, or in rare instances, when an adult. These conditions are not detectable prior to their onset and are usually only detected through equipment for diagnosing. In these cases, it is crucial that the medical expert witness involved is knowledgeable about these technologies and has the appropriate experience to recognize these defects. A seasoned medical malpractice attorney will be able to identify the most suitable expert for your case.

Hire an attorney for Medical Malpractice

A child born with a severe defect or severe birth injury could completely alter the life of a family. These injuries can lead to lifelong physical and emotional issues which often require a lifetime of medical care.

Medical science can pinpoint the root causes of around 30 percent of birth defects, birth defects others remain unsolved. Studies have shown that certain chemicals and substances may cause birth defects, like those present in prescription or over the counter medicines that mothers are prescribed and the harmful chemicals that play in certain communities and homes, as well as contaminated air and groundwater.

Doctors have a duty to examine a pregnant mother's current medications and inform her of any possible dangers for the baby. When they fail in this duty, they can be held accountable for birth defect law firms defects caused by medication.

Doctors are also required to assess the safety and effectiveness of any procedure or device they recommend to pregnant women. This includes x-ray machines, surgical tools, as well as other equipment. This could cause serious harm for a newborn baby in the event that a physician uses the equipment in error or does not calibrate it correctly. This would be considered medical malpractice. It's important to contact a medical malpractice lawyer immediately if this happens. In some states, you only have one year to file a medical malpractice claim, so the earlier you start the process the more favorable.

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Birth defects affect 1 in 33 babies born every year, and are a major reason for infant death. The conditions could be life-threatening and lead to many long term physical, emotional and cognitive challenges. Scientists have in some cases connected the causes of birth defects in mothers' exposure to prescription and non-prescription drugs as well as environmental toxins, maternal infections, complications during the birth and pregnancy, family medical history, or genetic disorders (like sickle cell disease PKU, or other genetic illnesses). However, in a majority of birth defects cases, the causes are unknown.

Some birth defects, like hearing loss or clubfoot are easy to spot and can be identified from birth or within the first year of a child's existence. Other birth defects, such as heart defects or developmental and intellectual disabilities are not as easy to identify and require tests that are specific to the condition.

Researchers are attempting to determine what causes birth defects (via) and how they can be prevented. For instance, women who smoke and drink alcohol or consume illegal drugs during pregnancy increase their likelihood of having a child with certain birth defects. Women who have a family history of inheritance genetic disorders should consider seeing a genetic counselor before trying to get pregnant. They should also use the March of Dimes family health history form to collect information about medical conditions that are prevalent in their families and provide it to their doctor or genetic counselor.