"Ask Me Anything": Ten Responses To Your Questions About Birth Defect Attorney

What Causes a Birth Defect?

It's the last thing an expecting parent would like to hear: their child may be born with a defect. These problems are caused by factors that occur in the fetal period and can affect your child's physical or mental health.

Testing for prenatal and newborns can be used by a health professional to determine the presence of certain birth defects that can occur during pregnancy. However other birth defects can not be diagnosed until after your child's birth or later, when they begin to show symptoms.

What is the reason for your child's defect?

The causes of many birth defects remains unknown. There are some things that can increase the risk of a woman having a child with a birth defect. Some of these include taking certain medications or prescription drugs before getting pregnant or having a family history of gonzales birth defect Law firm defects or having certain medical conditions like rheumatic disease. Women with an established history of these diseases should consult a genetic counselor about their options prior to becoming pregnant.

If a birth defect in a baby can cause serious health issues or not is dependent on which body part is affected and the extent of the body part affected. The more severe a birth defect, the more serious the problems.

Most miami lakes birth defect law firm defects are caused by genes or the environment during fetal development. You can reduce your risk of having a birth defect by talking to a genetic counsellor or a health professional, gaining knowledge about the background of your family and having a conversation with an expert in genetics.

Structural birth defects are those that change how a particular 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 metabolic disorders or chromosome problems. Genetic disorders that are inherited are a type of structural birth defect and environmental factors like the lack of folic acid can cause neural tube defects, which cause the spinal cord or the brain not developing properly.

Gather More Evidence Than You Think

There are a variety of medical procedures pregnant mothers is able to undergo in order to find out more about a possible birth defect. One of them is amniocentesis that involves a doctor taking a small amount of fetal fluid for analysis. This test can reveal chromosomal defects, as well other health conditions such as infections (such as Zika or rubella) or genetic anomalies.

A doctor can test the blood, amniotic liquid and fetus's tissues for signs of birth defect. These tests are crucial in determining the causes of birth defects. They can also determine the severity of birth defect and its effects on a child's life.

However some birth defects can remain unnoticed until a child is born, or in rare instances, when an adult. These problems aren't visible before they are present and are sometimes only detected with diagnostic equipment. In these instances the medical expert witness must be familiar with the technology and have the education required to identify these issues. A medical malpractice lawyer with years of experience will be able to determine the right specialist for your case.

Hire a Medical Malpractice Attorney

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-lasting physical and psychological challenges, often requiring the need for a lifetime of medical treatment.

While medical science is able to pinpoint the root causes of around 30 percent of birth defects, many others remain unsolved. Research has found that certain chemicals and substances, like those found in prescription or over-the-counter medications that mothers take or in toxic chemicals found in homes and communities as well as contaminated groundwater and air can cause birth defects.

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

Doctors also have a duty to determine the safety of any procedure or device they recommend for pregnant women. This includes x-ray equipment, surgical instruments, and other equipment. This could result in serious consequences for a baby's health in the event that a physician uses the equipment negligently or fails to calibrate it correctly. This is considered to be malpractice. It is important to contact a medical negligence lawyer as soon as you can in the event of this happening. In some states you have only one year to file a lawsuit for medical malpractice therefore it's best to begin the process as soon as you can.

Start with the First Step

Birth defects affect one out of 33 newborns every year and are the most common cause of infant mortality. These conditions can be life-threatening and can trigger permanent physical, cognitive and emotional problems. Scientists have, in some instances, connected the birth defects' causes due to exposure of the mother to prescription and non-prescription drugs or environmental toxins, as well as complications of motherhood, infections, pregnancy and birth or a family medical history or genetic disorders (like sickle cell disease PKU, also known as genetic illnesses). In around 70% of cases, the cause is not known.

Certain birth defects are readily detectable and can be identified either at birth or during the first year of life. Some birth defects, Vimeo like heart defects, intellectual and development disabilities, require specific tests to determine the cause.

Researchers are trying to determine 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 born with certain defects. Women with a history of family members that includes genetic disorders that are inherited may want to consult with a genetic counselor prior to trying to be pregnant. They may also use the March of Dimes Family Health History form to collect data about medical conditions that can be traced through their families. This information should be shared with their doctor or genetic counselor.