Why You Should Focus On Enhancing Birth Defect Attorney

What Causes a Birth Defect?

The last thing any expecting parent would like to hear is that their child may be born with a deformity. These birth defects are caused by things that occur during fetal development and can affect your child's mental or physical health.

A medical professional can identify birth defects during pregnancy by using newborn screening or prenatal tests. However, other birth defects may not be discovered until after the birth of your child or when they start to develop symptoms.

What Caused Your Child's Defect?

The root of many birth defects remains unknown. There are several factors that can increase the risk of a woman having a child with birth defect. This includes using medications or taking certain medications prior to the birth, having a family member that has birth defects or certain medical conditions, for instance rheumatic heart disease. Women who have an ancestry of these disorders should speak with an expert on genetic counseling about their options prior to getting pregnant.

Whether a child's birth defect causes serious problems or not will depend on the body part that is affected and how much of the body part is affected. The more serious a birth defect is, the more serious the issues.

Most birth defects are caused by genes or the environment during the fetal development. The risk of having birth defects is reduced by knowing about your family's history of genes and health issues and speaking with a genetic counselor, and following the guidelines for prenatal care.

Structural birth defect attorneys defects are those that change the way a part of your body looks or works. They may range from the visible such as cleft lips and cleft palate, but also the invisibly, such as chromosome disorders or metabolic conditions. Genetically-inherited conditions can result in structural birth defects. Environmental factors, for instance, Birth Defects an absence of folic acid can cause neural tube defects that lead to the development of the spinal cord and brain not functioning as it should.

Find More Evidence than You Think You Can.

There are a variety of medical procedures that a pregnant woman is able to undergo in order to find out more about the possibility of birth defects. Amniocentesis is one of them, which entails a doctor taking a small amount of the fetal fluid to be tested. This procedure can reveal chromosomal abnormalities as well as other health issues like infections (such as Zika or rubella) or genetic anomalies.

A doctor may also test a fetus' blood as well as amniotic fluid and the tissues of its umbilical cord for signs of birth defects. These tests are essential in determining the cause of birth defects. They can also determine the severity of a birth defect and the impact it has on a child's adult life.

However, some birth defects can be missed until a baby is born or, in rare cases, as an adult. These issues aren't easily detected when they first appear and are often only discovered with equipment for diagnosing. In these kinds of cases, it is crucial that the medical expert witness is well-versed in these technologies and has the appropriate training to be able to identify such defects. An experienced medical malpractice lawyer should be able to identify the right expert for your case.

Employ a Medical Malpractice Attorney

A child born with a severe defect or severe birth injury could completely alter the life of families. These injuries can cause life-long physical and emotional issues which often require the need for a lifetime of medical treatment.

While medical science is able to pinpoint the underlying causes behind about 30% of birth defects, many others remain unsolved. Research has shown that certain chemicals and substances can cause birth defects, like those found in prescription or over-the-counter medicines that mothers are prescribed and the harmful chemicals that the heart of some communities and homes, or in contaminated air and groundwater.

Doctors have a duty to review the pregnant mother's current medications and advise her about any risks for the foetus. If they fail to fulfill this duty, they may be held responsible for birth defects that are caused by medications.

Doctors are also required to determine the safety of any procedure or device they recommend for pregnant women. This includes xray machines, surgical tools, and other equipment. If a doctor is negligent in using the equipment or fails to properly calibrate the equipment, it could result in grave consequences for the baby. This is considered to be malpractice. If this occurs, it's important to consult a medical malpractice attorney as soon as possible. In some states, you're given only one year to file a complaint for medical malpractice, so it's best to begin the process as soon as you can.

Start with the First Step

Birth defects affect 1 out of 33 babies born each year and are the most common cause of infant mortality. These issues are life-threatening, and can lead to long-term physical, cognitive and emotional challenges. Scientists have, in some instances, connected the causes of birth defects in mothers' exposure to prescription and over-the-counter medications or environmental toxins, as well as maternal infections, complications during the birth and pregnancy or a family medical history or genetic diseases (like sickle cell disease, PKU, or genetic diseases). However, in the majority of birth defects cases, the causes are unknown.

Some birth defects, like hearing loss or clubfoot are easy to detect and are easily diagnosed either at birth or during the first year of a child's life. Other birth defects, such as heart defects or intellectual and developmental disabilities, are not as easily identifiable and require tests that are specific to the condition.

Researchers are working to understand the causes of birth defects and how them can be prevented. For instance, women who smoke and drink alcohol or consume illegal drugs during pregnancy increase their chance of having a baby with certain birth defects. Women with a family history that involves genetic disorders inherited from their parents may want to consult a genetic counselor before trying to be pregnant. They may also use the March of Dimes Family Health Form to collect information about medical conditions that can be traced through their families. This information should be shared with their doctor or genetic counselor.