What Causes a Birth Defect?

It's not something that any expecting parents wants to hear: their child may have a birth defect. 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.

A doctor can diagnose some birth defects during pregnancy with prenatal testing or newborn screening. However, other birth defects may not be diagnosed until after your child's birth or later when they develop symptoms.

What caused your child's asymmetry?

The reason for many birth defects remains unknown. However, there are a few factors that can increase the risk of having a baby with defects. This includes using medications or taking certain medications prior to pregnancy, a history of having a family member who has birth defect lawyer defects or certain medical conditions like rheumatic heart disease. Women with a family history of these conditions are advised to speak with an expert in genetic counseling prior to becoming pregnant.

Whether a child's birth defect 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 birth defect, the greater the severity of the problems.

Most birth defects are caused by genes or the environment during the development of the fetus. The chance of developing birth defects can be reduced by learning about your family's history of health and genetic issues by speaking to an expert in genetic counseling and following the prenatal care guidelines.

Structural birth defects alter the way a part of your body appears or performs. They can range from visible like cleft lips and cleft palate, but also the invisible, such as chromosome disorders or metabolic conditions. Genetically-inherited conditions can result in structural birth defects. Environmental factors, like the absence of folic acid can cause neural tube defects, which result in the development of the spinal or brain not functioning properly.

Gather More Evidence Than You Think

There are many medical procedures a pregnant mother can undergo in order to find out more about the possibility of birth defects. Amniocentesis, for instance, is which is when a healthcare professional collects small amounts of fluid from the fetus for analysis. This test can reveal chromosomal abnormalities and other health issues like infections (such as Zika or rubella) or genetic anomalies.

A doctor may also examine the fetus's blood amniotic fluid, fetal blood and the tissues of its umbilical cord for signs of birth defects. These tests are essential to finding out the reason for birth defects. They also aid in determining how serious a birth defect will be and the effect it may be having on a child's the years to come.

However, some birth defects can go undetected until a baby is born or, in rare instances, even as an adult. These conditions are not detectable until they are present and can sometimes only be identified with the use of diagnostic equipment. In these instances, the medical expert witness must be familiar with the technology and have the knowledge and experience required to identify these flaws. A seasoned medical malpractice attorney should be able to identify the most suitable expert for your case.

Find an attorney who specializes in medical malpractice

If a child is born with a severe birth defect or suffers a severe birth injury, it can completely turn a family's lives upside down. These injuries can cause life-long physical and emotional problems and often require an entire lifetime of medical attention.

While medical science is able to pinpoint the root causes of around 30 percent of birth defects, others remain a mystery. Studies have shown that certain chemicals and substances may cause birth defects, such as those present in prescription or over the counter medication that mothers take as well as the toxic chemicals that work in some communities and homes, or in contaminated air and groundwater.

Doctors are required by law to analyze the medications taken by the expecting mother and inform her of any possible dangers to the embryo. If they fail to perform this obligation, they could be held liable for birth defects that are caused by medications.

Doctors must also evaluate the safety and effectiveness of any procedure or device they recommend to pregnant women. This includes x-ray machines, surgical instruments, and other equipment. This could have serious consequences for a newborn baby should a doctor use the equipment in error or does not calibrate it correctly. This is a case of malpractice. It's important to contact a medical negligence lawyer as soon as you can when this happens. In some states you have only one year to file a case for medical malpractice and it's recommended to begin the process as soon as you can.

Take the First Step

Birth defects affect 1 out of 33 newborns every year and are a major reason for infant death. These conditions can be life-threatening and lead to many long term cognitive, emotional, and physical difficulties. Scientists have, in some instances, linked the causes of birth defects due to exposure of the mother to prescription or over-the-counter medicines, environmental toxins, maternal infections, complications during the birth and pregnancy and family medical history or genetic illnesses (like sickle cell disease PKU, or other genetic illnesses). However, in a majority of birth defects cases, the causes are unknown.

Some birth defects, like clubfoot or hearing loss, are easy to detect and can be diagnosed from birth or within the first year of a child's life. Other birth defects, such as heart defects or intellectual and developmental disabilities, aren't as easy to identify and require specialized tests.

Researchers are working to understand what causes birth defects and how some of them can be prevented. For example 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 history of family members that includes genetic disorders that are inherited may want to speak with a genetic counselor prior to trying to get pregnant. They should also fill out the March of Dimes family health history form to gather information regarding medical conditions that run in their families and share it with their doctor or a genetic counselor.