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What Causes a Birth Defect?

The last thing any expecting parent would like to be told is that their child could have a birth deformity. These birth defects are caused by things that happen during the development of the fetus and can affect your child's physical or mental health.

Testing for prenatal and newborns can be used by a health care provider to diagnose certain birth defects that can occur during pregnancy. Other birth defects can only be detected following your child's birth or when symptoms are evident.

What was the reason for your child's deformity?

The root of many birth defects remains unknown. There are some things that increase the chance of the mother having a child with birth defect. These include using drugs or taking certain medications prior to pregnancy, having a family member who has birth defects or certain medical conditions, such as rheumatic heart disease. Women who have an history of these conditions should speak with an expert in genetic counseling about their options prior to getting pregnant.

Whether a child's birth defect causes serious issues or not will depend on the body part that is affected and the extent of the body part is affected. The more severe the defect is then the more severe the issues will be.

Most birth defects are caused by genetics or the environment during the fetal growth. The chance of developing a birth defect is reduced by knowing about your family's history of health issues and genes by speaking to a genetic counselor, and following the guidelines for prenatal care.

Structural birth defects are those that change the way a part of your body appears or performs. They may range from the visible, such as cleft lip and cleft palate, but also the invisibly, such as metabolic disorders or chromosome problems. Genetic conditions that are passed down through the generations are one type of structural birth defect, while environmental factors like the absence of folic acid can cause neural tube defects that cause spinal cord or the brain not developing correctly.

Find More Evidence than You Think You Can.

There are many medical procedures a pregnant mother can undergo to discover more about the possibility of a birth defect. Amniocentesis, for instance, is where a healthcare provider takes small amounts of fluid from the fetus for testing. This test can reveal chromosomal changes in addition to other health issues such as infections (such as rubella or Zika) or genetic abnormalities.





A doctor can examine the amniotic fluid, blood and the tissues of a fetus for signs of birth defect. These tests are essential in determining the cause of birth defect. They can also assist in determining how serious the birth defect could be and the effect it may have on a child's their adult life.

However some birth defects can be unnoticed until the baby is born or, in rare instances, even as an adult. This is because these conditions aren't easily detected until they are present, and may only be diagnosed using diagnostic equipment. In these kinds of cases, it's crucial that the medical expert witness is well-versed in these technologies and has the appropriate knowledge to spot these issues. A seasoned medical malpractice lawyer will be able to identify the most suitable expert for your particular case.

Hire an attorney for Medical Malpractice

A child born with a serious defect or a serious birth injury can completely change the life of the family. These injuries can cause long-term physical and mental issues needing medical attention for the rest of his life.

Although medical science has been able to identify the causes of about 30% of birth defects, others remain unexplained. Research has found that certain chemicals and substances like those in prescription or over-the-counter medicines taken by mothers or children, harmful chemicals in communities and homes or groundwater that is contaminated air may cause birth defects.

Doctors have a duty to assess an expectant mother's current medications, and advise her of any possible risks for the baby. If they fail to fulfill this duty, they can be held responsible for birth defects caused by medication.

Doctors are also required to determine 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. If a physician is negligent when using the equipment, or fails to properly calibrate the equipment it could have grave consequences for the baby. This would be considered medical malpractice. If this happens it is important to contact a medical negligence attorney as quickly as you can. In some states, you have only one year to file a medical negligence case, so the earlier you begin the process the more favorable.

Take the First Step

Birth defects affect 1 in 33 babies born each year and are a leading cause of infant death. The conditions can be life-threatening and can result in a variety of long-term cognitive, emotional, and physical challenges. birth defect lawsuit salt lake city have in a few cases connected the birth defects' causes in mothers' exposure to prescription and over-the-counter medications as well as environmental toxins, complications of motherhood, infections, delivery and pregnancy, family medical history, or genetic illnesses (like sickle cell disease PKU, sickle cell disease, or other genetic illnesses). In the majority of cases, the cause is unknown.

Certain birth defects, like clubfoot or hearing loss, are easy to detect and can be diagnosed at birth or in the first year of a child's life. Certain birth defects, like heart defects, intellectual and development disabilities, require specific tests to be identified.

Researchers are working to understand the causes of birth defects and how they can be prevented. Women who smoke, drink or use illegal drugs while pregnant are at greater risk of having a child born with certain defects. Women with a family history of inherited genetic disorders should seek out a genetic counselor prior to trying to get pregnant. They should also utilize the March of Dimes family health record form to gather information about medical conditions that run in their families and provide it to their doctor or genetic counselor.