Submit your Cerebral Palsy claim details for a free, no obligation case review.
Get Started:
more_legal_areas cerebral_palsyAs defined by the March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation, a birth defect is "an abnormality of structure, function or metabolism present at birth that results in physical or mental disability, or is fatal." There are several thousand identified birth defects that affect approximately 150,000 babies - roughly one out of every 28 births - each year.
Just as there are a number of different types of birth defects, there are also a number of causes. Genetic and environmental factors can be partially to blame - a single abnormal gene can cause a birth defect - however, the cause of 60 to 70 percent of all birth defects is still unknown, making prevention difficult - but not impossible.
There are several known ways for an expectant mother to prevent birth defects. The first step is to establish a relationship with a physician prior to pregnancy. Pre-pregnancy visits help the physician obtain information about the woman or couple''s health and family history, which helps to determine risk of inherited conditions. Visits also allow for testing and screening, as well as proper planning for pregnancy. Women with existing conditions, such as diabetes, high blood pressure and epilepsy are especially advised to see a physician prior to getting pregnant. These conditions, which can affect pregnancy, predispose women toward having a child with a birth defect if they are not kept under control during pregnancy. A physician can monitor the condition during the pregnancy to ensure a healthy birth. Sexually transmitted diseases, if left untreated, can also cause birth defects. Doctors can screen for these as well during pre-pregnancy visits.
Women who have never had chickenpox (and have never been vaccinated) should also talk to their doctors before becoming pregnant. Chickenpox during pregnancy can lead to birth defects, so in certain cases it may be a good idea to be vaccinated before considering pregnancy. It is recommended that women avoid pregnancy for a full month after a chickenpox, rubella or measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccination.
There are also ways to prevent birth defects during pregnancy. Many recent studies have shown that all women of childbearing age should take a daily multivitamin that contains 400 micrograms of folic acid. This B vitamin has been proven to reduce the risk of having a child born with neural tube defects - birth defects of the brain and spine, of which the most common is spina bifida - by 50 to 70 percent. Folic acid is also thought to reduce the risk of birth defects of the heart, limbs and face. Higher doses of folic acid are usually recommended for women who already have a child with a birth defect.
Perhaps the most obvious ways to prevent birth defects are to avoid environmental factors that are damaging to the body during pregnancy. Drinking alcohol, smoking and using drugs are three serious risk factors for birth defects. Pregnant women should talk to a doctor before taking any kind of medication at all.
The family of a boy who suffers from severe cerebral palsy because of injuries sustained during birth was recently awarded $26.5 million in damages by a Massachusetts jury. The a...
A Cumberland County jury recently awarded more than $2 million in damages to the parents of a boy who alleged their son's brain damage and cerebral palsy was caused by medical ne...
Among the many checkups required during prenatal care, pregnant women should also be adding dental care to the list.
According to researchers at the University of Chile in Santiago, after studying 870 pregnant women with gingivitis who were at...