15 Up-And-Coming Trends About Birth Defect Attorney

What Causes a Birth Defect?

It's the last thing an expecting parent would like to hear: Their child could be born with a birth defect. These birth defects are caused by factors that occur during the development of the fetus and can affect your child's mental or physical health.

A medical professional is able to detect some birth defects during pregnancy using prenatal testing or newborn screening. However, other birth defects may not be detected until after your child is born or a few years later when they show symptoms.

What is the reason for your child's defect?

The causes of many birth defects remains unknown. However there are several factors that increase the chance of having a child with defects. These include using drugs or taking certain medications prior to pregnancy, a history of having a family member that has birth defects or certain medical conditions, for instance rheumatic heart disease. Women who have an ancestral history of these diseases are advised to speak with an expert in genetic counseling prior to becoming pregnant.

The extent to which a birth defect in a child can cause serious health issues or not will depend on which body part is affected and how much of the body part affected. The more severe the defect is and the more serious the issues will be.

The majority of birth defects are caused by genetics or the environment during the development of the fetus. The risk of having birth defects can be reduced by gaining knowledge about your family's history with health issues and genes by speaking to a genetic counselor and following prenatal guidelines.

Structural birth problems are those that alter how a specific part of the body looks or works. They vary from the obvious such as cleft lips and cleft palate, but also the invisibly, such as chromosome disorders or metabolic conditions. Genetically-inherited conditions can be a type of structural birth defects. Environmental factors, like the absence of folic acid can cause neural tube defects that cause the development of the spinal cord and brain not functioning properly.

Find More Evidence Than You Think You Can.

There are many medical procedures that pregnant mothers may undergo to learn more about the possibility of birth defect law firm defects. Amniocentesis is one of them, which involves a healthcare provider taking a small amount of fetal fluid for analysis. This procedure may reveal chromosomal irregularities as well as other health conditions, such as infections (such as Zika or rubella) or genetic anomalies.

A doctor may also test a fetus' blood as well as amniotic fluid and the umbilical cord for signs of birth defects. These tests are vital in finding out the cause of birth defects. They can also assist in determining the severity of the birth defect is and the effects it could have on a child in his or her adult life.

However, some birth defects can be unnoticed until the baby is born, or in rare cases, an adult. This is due to the fact that these conditions are not detectable until they become apparent, and may only be identified with the use of diagnostic equipment. In these cases, it is crucial that the medical expert witness involved is well-versed in these technologies and has the proper training to be able to recognize these defects. An experienced medical malpractice lawyer is able to determine the most suitable expert for your case.

Hire an attorney who specializes in medical malpractice

A child born with a severe defect or a serious birth injury can alter the life of families. These injuries can lead to lifelong physical and psychological challenges which often require the need for a lifetime of medical treatment.

Although medical science has been able to identify the root causes of around 30 percent of birth defects, others remain unexplained. Research has shown that certain chemicals and substances can cause birth defects, for example those that are found in prescription and over-the-counter medication that mothers take and the harmful chemicals that the heart of some communities and in homes, or the contaminating air and groundwater.

Doctors have a duty to assess an expectant mother's current medication and inform her of any dangers for the fetus. If they fail in their duty, they can be held accountable for birth defects that are caused by medications.

Doctors are also required to examine the safety of any procedure or equipment they recommend to pregnant women. This includes x ray instruments, surgical instruments and other equipment. If a doctor is negligent in using the equipment or fails correctly calibrate the equipment, it could result in grave consequences for the baby. This would be considered medical malpractice. It is crucial to get in touch with a medical malfeasance lawyer immediately when this happens. In some states, you're given only one year to file a complaint for medical malpractice, so it's best to start the process as soon as possible.

Take the First Step

Birth defects affect one of 33 babies born every year and are the most common cause of infant death. The condition could be life-threatening and result in a variety of long-term mental, emotional and physical issues. Scientists have in some cases identified the causes of birth defects in mothers' exposure to prescription and over-the-counter drugs as well as environmental toxins, maternal infections, complications during delivery and pregnancy and family medical history or genetic diseases (like sickle cell disease PKU, sickle cell disease, or other genetic diseases). But in about 70% of birth defects cases the cause is unknown.

Some birth defects, like hearing loss or clubfoot, are easily identifiable and can be identified from birth or within the first year of a child's life. Other birth defects, such as heart defects or developmental and intellectual disabilities, aren't as easily identifiable and require special tests.

Researchers are trying to figure out what causes birth defects and how some of them may be prevented. For instance smoking, drink alcohol or take illegal drugs during pregnancy increase the chances of having a child with certain birth defects. Women with a history of family members with inherited genetic disorders should think about seeing a genetic counselor before trying to become pregnant. They should also fill out the March of Dimes family health history form to gather information about medical conditions that can be found in their families and discuss it with their doctor or birth defects genetic counselor.