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Birth Defects: Causes and Consequences
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Posted On :
Dec-03-2012
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Article Word Count :
476
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Every year, there are millions of children born with serious birth defects. While some can be treated, there are others that cannot be treated and the child is left to cope with it for life.
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Every year, there are millions of children born with serious birth defects. While some can be treated, there are others that cannot be treated and the child is left to cope with it for life. There are several reasons for birth defects; some are inflicted by the careless mother herself, others are inflicted because of problems caused by factors unknown and sometimes uncontrolled by them. Factors like health, diet and exposure to toxins in and around the environment of the pregnant mother play a vital role in determining the health of the unborn child. Here are some of the factors that cause birth defects among children.
Diet: It is said that mothers exposed to tin food better off when considering women exposed to vegetables, generously doused with pesticides. There are several research studies that link birth defects and childhood cancer to exposure to pesticides in vegetables and fruits. Defects caused by exposure to pesticides include undeveloped jaws, or the Pierre Robin Syndrome, lack of visible sex organs, and other organs including limbs and ears. Besides these a common chemical, Chlorpyrifos causes serious birth defects. This chemical is commonly caused to kill indoor insects including termites and roaches.
Women exposed to multiple pesticides are known to give birth to children with cleft lips. These are also known to slow the functioning of the brain and reduce IQ levels among children. Asthma too, is a common problem associated with chemical exposure.
Parents of children suffering from birth defects can always speak to a birth defect attorney to know more about their rights.
Health: Children may also suffer from birth defects because of chromosomal abnormalities. Common problems include Down syndrome, Patau syndrome and Edwards syndrome. While children suffering from Down syndrome can live a long life, children suffering from Patau and Edwards syndrome often die soon after birth. The risk of these problems is greatly increased in instances of late pregnancy.
Drugs: A report by the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) states that children of pregnant mothers exposed to anticonvulsant drugs like Lamactal, Trileptal, and Topomax have a higher chance of suffering from birth defects. Exposure to anticonvulsant drugs like Depakote and Tegretol increases risks of defects including spina bifida and oral cleft. Another common drug that is known to increase risks of birth defects in children is use of Zoloft. This is a very common antidepressant administered to women during pregnancy. Ironically, several established journals have concluded that exposure to Zoloft causes cardiac birth defects, including Atrial Septal Defect, Ventricular Septal Defects and Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension among new born children.
If you are a parent whose child has been diagnosed with any of these defects, you can always speak to an attorney for birth defect settlement. The attorney can also help you determine if you are entitled for compensation.
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Article Source :
http://www.articleseen.com/Article_Birth Defects: Causes and Consequences_237673.aspx
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Author Resource :
The author is a birth defect attorney and has written extensively about problems caused by birth defects. He has also helped parents identify if they are eligible for a birth defect settlement.
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Keywords :
birth defects, birth injury lawyer, birth defect settlement, birth defect attorney,
Category :
Reference and Education
:
Legal
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