Understanding Chemical Birth Injuries
Chemical exposure during pregnancy may have harmed your child. Learn more about a how a chemical exposure at work could have caused your child’s birth defect.
- Birth Defects Overview
- Defect Causing Chemicals
- High Exposure Industries
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Birth Defects Legal Process
Overview of Chemical Birth Defects
The birth of a child is one of the happiest times in a parent’s life, filled with hope and expectations. But if your child is the one out of every 33 children born with a birth defect, your joy may be dimmed by heartache and worry: What does the defect mean for my child’s future? How can I make sure my child’s life is as normal and fulfilling as possible? Where will I get the money to pay for the special care my child will need?
What happened to my child?
There are several possible causes of birth defects. Some cases can be linked to harmful agents or substances known as teratogens. While teratogens can be found just about anywhere – in prescription medications, or environmental pollution, for example – many of the teratogens linked to birth defects are harmful chemicals found in a parent’s workplace.
Exposure to Workplace Chemicals Is Common
On-the-job exposure to chemicals is common. In fact, more than 80,000 different chemicals are used in industries ranging from manufacturing to health care to personal care. Not all of them are teratogens, however, and finding out which one may have caused your child’s birth defect can be a challenge.
Although women who are in the first three months of pregnancy are the most likely to be affected by chemical exposure at work, exposure sometimes occurs before pregnancy. In some cases, the father is the one who was exposed and passed the chemical on.
Help is Available
If you believe your child’s birth defect may have been caused by chemicals you were exposed to at work, call our Nurses’ Desk today – or submit the form to initiate a call from them.
