15 Birth Defect Attorney Bloggers You Must Follow
What Causes a Birth Defect?
The last thing a new parent wants to learn is that their child might have a birth deformity. These birth defects are caused by factors that occur in the fetal period and can affect your child's physical or mental health.
Screening for newborns and prenatal tests can be utilized by a doctor to determine the presence of certain birth defect lawyers defects that can occur during pregnancy. Other birth defects could only be detected after the birth of your child or when symptoms start to show.
What caused your child's asymmetry?
Many birth defects remain undiscovered. There are certain factors that can increase the risk of pregnant women having children with birth defect. These include taking prescription drugs or Birth Defect Law Firms taking certain medications before the birth, having a family member with a birth defect or having certain medical conditions, for instance rheumatic heart disease. Women who have a family background of these disorders are advised to speak with a genetic counsellor before becoming pregnant.
Whether a child's birth defect can cause serious health issues or not depends on the body part that is affected and the extent of the body part affected. The more severe the defect is it, the more serious the issues will be.
The majority of birth defects are caused by genetics or the environment during fetal development. You can lower the risk of a birth defect consulting with a genetic counsellor and learning about the health background of your family, and speaking with geneticists.
Structural birth imperfections are those that alter how a part of the body appears or works. They may range from the visible such as cleft lips and cleft palate, to the invisible, such as chromosome disorders or metabolic conditions. Genetic diseases that are passed down from generation to generation are a type of structural birth defect, while environmental factors like the lack of folic acid can lead to neural tube defects that cause spinal cord or brain not developing properly.
Gather More Evidence Than You Think
There are a number of medical procedures that a pregnant woman can undergo to find out more about the possibility of a birth defect. One of them is amniocentesis which involves a healthcare provider taking a small amount of fetal fluid for testing. This procedure can reveal chromosomal modifications, as well as other health issues such as infections (such as rubella or Zika) or genetic disorders.
A doctor may also test a fetus' blood or amniotic fluid as well as the umbilical cord for signs of birth defects. These tests are vital in finding out the reason for birth defect. They also help determine the extent of the birth defect and the impact it has on the adult life of a child.
Some birth defects might not be detected until after the birth of a child or, in rare instances even after becoming an adult. These conditions aren't easily detected until they become apparent, and may only be diagnosed using diagnostic equipment. For these kinds of cases, it is critical that the medical expert witness is familiar with these technologies and has the right knowledge to spot these issues. An experienced medical malpractice lawyer should be able to identify the appropriate specialist for your case.
Employ an attorney who specializes in medical malpractice
When a child is born with a severe birth defect or suffers a devastating birth injury, birth defect Law firms it can completely turn a family's lives upside down. These injuries can cause life-long physical and emotional problems that often require a lifetime of medical care.
Medical science can explain about 30 percent of birth defects, but many others remain a mystery. Research has shown that certain chemicals and substances can cause birth defects, for example those found in prescription or over-the-counter medicines that mothers are prescribed as well as the toxic chemicals that working in some communities and homes, as well as contaminated air and groundwater.
Doctors are required to examine a pregnant mother's current medications and advise her about any dangers to the baby. If they fail to perform this duty, they can be held liable for Birth Defect Law Firms defects caused by medication.
Doctors also have the responsibility to evaluate the safety of any procedure or device they recommend to pregnant women. This includes x-ray machines, surgical instruments, and other equipment. This could have serious consequences for a baby in the event that a physician uses the equipment in a negligent manner or does not calibrate it properly. This is considered medical malpractice. It is crucial to speak with a medical malpractice lawyer immediately if this happens. In some states, you are only allowed a single year to file a medical malpractice case, so the sooner you begin the process, the better.
Begin by completing the first Step
Birth defects are the main cause of infant mortality. They affect one in 33 babies each year. The condition can be life-threatening and can lead to many long term mental, emotional and physical issues. In some instances, researchers have identified the causes as a mother's exposure to prescription or over-the-counter medicines, toxins that are found in the environment and maternal infections, the complications of pregnancy and birth or medical history in the family (like genetic diseases, sickle cell disease or PKU). But in about 70% of birth defect cases, the causes are unknown.
Certain birth defects are easily detectable and can be identified at birth or within the first year. Some birth defects, such as heart defects, intellectual and developmental disabilities require special tests to determine the cause.
Researchers are trying to discover what causes birth defects and how them may be prevented. Women who drink, smoke or take illegal drugs while pregnant are at a higher risk of having a child with certain defects. Women with an inherited family history of genetic disorders should think about seeing a genetic counselor prior to trying to get pregnant. They should also use the March of Dimes family health history form to gather information about medical conditions that are prevalent in their families and share it with their doctor or a genetic counselor.