What Is The Heck What Is Birth Defect Attorney?
What Causes a Birth Defect?

The last thing that any expecting parent wants to be told is that their child might be born with a deformity. These birth defects could be the result of circumstances that occur during growing up and could affect the physical or mental health of your child.
Prenatal screening and newborn screening can be utilized by a doctor to determine the presence of certain birth defects during pregnancy. Other birth defects may be discovered only after the birth of your child, or after symptoms are evident.
What was the reason for your child's deformity?
Many birth defects are still undiscovered. There are some things which can increase the chances of the mother having a child with a birth defect. These include using drugs or taking certain medications before pregnancy, a history of having a family member with an abnormal birth or certain medical conditions, like rheumatic heart disease. Women with an ancestry of these disorders are advised to consult an expert in genetic counseling about their options prior to becoming pregnant.
The degree to which a birth defect can cause serious health issues or not depends on the body part that is affected and how much of the body part is affected. birth defect attorney billings is, the more severe the problems.
The majority of birth defects are caused either by genes or the environment during fetal growth. The chance of developing a birth defect can be decreased by educating yourself about your family's history with genes and health issues by speaking to a genetic counselor and following prenatal care guidelines.
Structural birth imperfections are those that alter how a particular part of the body appears or functions. They may be visible like cleft lips and cleft palettes. They can also be invisible, as with chromosome conditions or metabolic conditions. Genetic conditions that are passed down through the generations could be a form of structural birth defects. Environmental factors, for instance, the absence of folic acid can cause neural tube defects, which result in the development of the spinal cord or brain not functioning as it should.
Get More Evidence than You Think
There are a variety of medical procedures pregnant women undergo to find out more about potential birth defects. Amniocentesis is one of them, that involves a doctor taking a small amount of fetal fluid to test. This procedure could reveal chromosomal anomalies and other health conditions such as infections (such as Zika or rubella) or genetic anomalies.
A doctor may also examine the fetus's blood, amniotic fluid and even the umbilical cord for signs of birth defects. These tests are essential in finding out the reason for birth defect. They also aid in determining how severe the birth defect is and the consequences it could have on a child's the years to come.
Certain birth defects may not be discovered until after the birth of a baby or, in some rare cases, even as an adult. These problems aren't visible when they occur and are often only discovered by using diagnostic equipment. In these cases the medical expert witness must be conversant with the latest technologies and possess the education required to be able to spot the defects. An experienced medical malpractice lawyer will be able to identify the most suitable expert for your particular case.
Hire a Medical Malpractice Lawyer
A child born with a severe defect or birth injury could completely alter the life of the family. These injuries can cause life-long physical and psychological challenges, often requiring ongoing medical treatment.
Medical science can pinpoint the causes of about 30% of birth defects others remain a mystery. Research has revealed that certain chemicals and substances can cause birth defects, such as those present in prescription or over the counter medications a mother takes as well as the toxic chemicals that working in some communities and in homes, or the contaminating groundwater and air.
Doctors are required by law to analyze the medications taken by a pregnant mother and inform her of any potential dangers to the baby. If they fail to meet this duty, they may be held accountable for birth defects that are caused by medications.
Doctors also have a responsibility to determine the safety of any procedure or device they recommend to pregnant women. This includes x-ray machines surgical tools, and other equipment. If a doctor negligently uses the equipment or fails correctly calibrate the equipment, it could cause grave consequences for the baby. This is considered medical malpractice. In the event of this, it's important to seek out a medical malpractice attorney as soon as you can. In some states, you're allowed only one year to file a lawsuit for medical malpractice, so it's best to start the process as soon as possible.
Start with the First Step
Birth defects affect 1 of 33 babies born every year and are a major cause of infant mortality. These conditions are life-threatening and lead to many long term physical, emotional and cognitive problems. Scientists have in some cases identified the causes of birth defects due to exposure of the mother to prescription and over-the-counter drugs or environmental toxins, as well as complications of motherhood, infections, the birth and pregnancy and family medical history or genetic illnesses (like sickle cell disease, PKU, or genetic diseases). However, in the majority of all birth defects, the causes are unknown.
Certain birth defects, like clubfoot or hearing loss, are easy to detect and can be diagnosed either at birth or during the first year of a child's existence. Some birth defects, such as heart defects, intellectual and developmental disabilities require special tests to be identified.
Researchers are trying to figure out the causes of birth defects and how they can be avoided. Women who drink, smoke or use illegal drugs while pregnant increase their risk for having a child with certain defects. Women with an inherited family history of genetic disorders should consider seeing a genetic counselor prior to trying to get pregnant. They may also use the March of Dimes Family Health Form to collect information on medical conditions that run through their families. This information should be shared with their doctor or genetic counselor.