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Pharmaceutical Birth Defect Lawsuit, Antidepressant Birth Defect Lawsuit, Drug
Birth Defect Lawsuit, Birth Injury Lawsuit, Drug Birth
Injury Lawsuit, Infant Development Lawsuit, and Birth Defect Lawsuit
Information
by
Texas Birth Injury and Birth Defect
Lawyer Jason S. Coomer
Birth
defect lawsuits and birth injury lawsuits are some of the most
difficult types of personal injury lawsuits to handle because
of the devastation that has been caused. Parents and
families who
should be celebrating the birth of a new child, are often
caught off guard when their child is born with severe
disabilities. It is often all the parents can do to
take care of the their new child and they often don't
realize that someone may be responsible for the birth injury
or birth defect including
drug manufacturers that hid information about medications
that can cause birth defects and medical professionals that
may have committed medical malpractice during the birthing
process or by prescribing harmful drugs during the mother's
pregnancy.
If you believe that your child has
suffered a birth defect or birth injury as a result of a
dangerous drug and/or medical negligence,
feel free to contact Texas Birth Defect Lawyer and Birth Injury Lawyer Jason Coomer
for a free review of your Texas Birth
Injury Lawsuit or Texas Birth Defect Lawsuit or
use our online submission form.
Medication Birth Defect Lawsuit Information
Several
medications, products, and drugs have been linked to birth
defects. Some of these medication and products have
ample warnings that warn pregnant women to avoid taking
these products while they are pregnant, however, some
manufacturers have hidden the real dangers of their product
in order to sell more of their product and value profits
over healthy babies. For these manufacturers, they may
have short term profits, but over the long term they will
suffer for the long term birth defects that they have
caused. Some medications that have been linked to
birth defects include Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor
Antidepressants (SSRIs). Women that have taken SSRIs
after the 20th week of pregnancy have a 6-fold
increased risk of developing persistent pulmonary
hypertension, a life-threatening lung disorder.
Infants with persistent pulmonary hypertension have
abnormal blood flow through the heart and lungs and do not
get enough oxygen to their bodies and may become very sick
or die. For more information on Selective Serotonin
Reuptake Inhibitor Antidepressant Birth Defect Claims,
please go to our SSRI Birth Defect Claim Information Page.
Drug Spina Bifida Birth Defect Lawsuit,
Drug Neural Tube Defect Lawsuit, Infant Spinal Cord Defect Lawsuit,
Drug Birth Defect Lawsuit, Depakote Spina Bifida Defect
Lawsuit, and other Spina Bifida Dangerous Drug Lawsuit
Information
Several
medications, products, and drugs have been linked to birth
defects including neural tube defects. Unfortunately,
through strong marketing pressure some drug companies have been
continuing to push doctors to prescribe drugs to pregnant women
that may cause severe birth defects. These birth
defects can result in death or injury to an infant including
malformation, permanent paralysis, disabilities, and severe
health problems. If you or someone you love is on
medication and is pregnant or thinking about becoming pregnant,
please discuss the potential dangers of any medication that you
are taking with a qualified medical doctor. If your child
was born with a birth defect including a neural tube birth
defect, cleft palate, or other birth defect, please feel free to
read this web page or contact
Birth Defect Lawyer Jason S. Coomer.
Pharmaceutical Spina Bifida Birth Defect Lawsuit, Birth
Defect Inadquate Warning Adequacy Lawsuit, Drug Company
Fraud Birth Defect Lawsuit, Depakote Spina Bifida Lawsuit, Depakote
Neural Tude
Defect Lawsuit, Depakote Spina Bifida Lawsuit, Drug Cleft Palate Lawsuit,
SSRI Birth Defect Lawsuit, SRRI Neural Tube Defect Lawsuit, &
Defective Drug Birth Defect Lawsuit Information
Some medications have
ample warnings that warn doctors, pharmacists, and women
that pregnant women should avoid taking
the product while they are pregnant to avoid potential birth
defects. However, some drug
manufacturers have hidden the real dangers of their product
in order to sell more of their product including selling
their product to pregnant women. These companies value profits
over healthy children and will often market the dangerous
drug through physicians. Seeking to stop these drug
corporations and educate doctors as to the dangers of giving
certain drugs to pregnant women is an important step in
lowering the number of birth defects in the future and
protecting children from facing a shortened life with
disability.
By filing a
birth defect lawsuit against a drug company for selling and
marketing a dangerous drug that my cause birth defects, the
families of those that have lost there child or have had their
child suffer a serious birth defect can seek compensation from
the drug company as well as prevent similar unnecessary deaths
or birth defects from happening to other children and families.
Spina Bifida Birth Defect Lawsuit, Neural Tube Birth Defect
Lawsuit, Depakote Spina Bifida Lawsuit, Depakote Neural Tude
Defect Lawsuit, Depakote Spina Bifida Lawsuit, &
Defective Drug Neural Tube Birth Defect Lawsuit Information
Neural tube birth defects are a type of
birth defect that prevents normal development of a child's
brain and spinal cord. The neural tube is the
embryonic structure that develops into the brain and spinal
cord. In most pregnant women, the neural tube normally folds inward and closes by the
28th day after conception. When the neural tube fails to close completely
or develop properly,
defects of the brain, spinal cord and vertebrae can result in
the child. These neural tube birth
defects can result in death or serious nerve damage that can
cause permanent paralysis, disabilities, and severe health
problems. The two most common neural tube defects are spina
bifida and anencephaly.
Neural tube defects are serious birth defects caused by
incomplete development of the brain, spinal cord and/or their
protective coverings. These brain and spinal cord birth
defects occur when the fetus' spine fails to close properly
during the early stages of pregnancy.
Neural Tube Birth Defects, Spina Bifida Birth Defects,
Myelomeningocele Birth Defects, and
Defective Drug Neural Tube Birth Defects
Spina bifida is the most common neural tube defect
and it is estimated that there are approximately 70,000 people
in the United State living with spina bifida. It is an all
too common birth defect in the United States affecting about
approximately 1,500 new born babies each year.
In a child that has a spina bifida birth
defect, the fetal spinal column doesn't close completely during
the first month of pregnancy. These children typically
suffer nerve damage from the birth defect that causes at least
some paralysis of the child's legs. Severe cases of spina bifida
can result in full or partial paralysis and other problems such
as hydrocephalus, bowel and bladder problems, and learning
disabilities.
There are several forms of spina bifida and
the birth defect can cause mild to severe health problems.
Myelomeningocele spina bifida is the most severe form of spina
bifida. Myelomeningocele is where the spinal cord and
meninges protrude from a spinal opening. In
myelomeningocele spina bifida cases, the new born child will
require surgery after birth to put the exposed nerves and cord
into the spinal canal. Children with myelomingocele are at high risk of infection until the
back is closed surgically. In spite of surgery, in these
myelomeningocele spina bifida cases, some nerve damage is
usually permanent and will include paralysis and bowel and
bladder problems.
Bladder and bowel problems as well as
paralysis are common in most forms of spina bifida. Both
spina bifida bowel and bladder problems as well as spina bifida
paralysis are caused by nerve damage. The nerves that
control bowel and bladder functions are damaged and unable to
work properly as the nerves that control other parts of the body
can be damages and unable to control other parts of the body.
These damaged nerves prevent the child from being able to
control their bodies including their bowels and bladder.
As such, many children suffering from severe spina bifida do not
have full control of the bladder and bowels. These spina
bifida bowel and bladder problems can often result in urinary
tract infections, suffer kidney damage, and incontinence.
Several forms of spina bifida can also cause
hydrocephalus, which is increased fluid on the brain. The
increased fluid or hydrocephalus can be caused when the fluid
around the brain cannot drain properly. In cases of spina
bifida hydrocephalus, the spina bifida defect will typically
block the fluid's normal path and will often require a shunt to
be placed in the child to drain the fluid from the brain and
reduce fluid pressure on the brain.
Meningocele spina bifida is the rarest type
of spina bifida where the protective membrane covering the
spinal cord (the meninges) develops incorrectly and protrudes
through an opening in the spine. Because this form of spina
bifida does not involve the spinal cord itself, meningocele
spina bifida can usually be treated through surgically and allow
children to develop normally without paralysis. However,
children with meningocele spina bifida can develop hydrocephalus
and bowel or bladder problems.
Occulta spina bifida is the mildest form of
spina bifida where there is a small defect, gap or malformation
in one or more of the vertebrae of the spine. In occulta
spina bifida cases, there is often no nerve damage or symptoms
for the child, but as the child develops problems may arise
through progressive neurological deterioration. Some affected individuals have a dimple, hairy patch,
dark spot or swelling over the affected area, and most affected individuals
with mild occulta spina bifida will
need no treatment.
Neural Tube Birth Defects, Anencephaly Birth Defects,
Failure to Develop Brain and Skull, Improper Cephalic
Development, and
Defective Drug Neural Tube Birth
Anencephaly is the most severe type of neural
tube defect because it prevents the brain from properly forming.
In these anencephaly neural tube defect cases the brain and
skull do not develop correctly. In other words, the
"cephalic" or head end of the neural tube fails to close
properly which causes the brain, skull and scalp not to develop
properly. Infants with anencephaly are often born without a
forebrain and a cerebrum and are usually blind, deaf,
unconscious and unable to feel pain. Many of these children are
still born, but some are actually born but do not live long.
Encephaloceles are rare neural tube defects that result in
abnormal openings in the skull through which brain tissue
protrudes. Encephaloceles are often accompanied by
deformities of the skull or face and/or other brain
malformations. Symptoms may include hydrocephalus, spastic
quadriplegia (paralysis of all four limbs), developmental delay,
vision problems, mental and growth retardation and seizures.
The prognosis for babies with this disorder varies. It
depends on what brain tissue is involved and the accompanying
brain malformations and symptoms. While most babies with
encephaloceles do not survive or are severely retarded, early
surgery has helped some children. Generally, surgery is
performed during infancy to put the protruding brain tissue back
into the skull and correct any craniofacial abnormalities.
SSRI Birth Defect Lawsuits, SSRI Neural
Tube Birth Defect Lawsuits, Primary Pulmonary
Hypertension in Newborns (PPHN) Lawsuits, Prozac Birth
Defect Lawsuits, Zoloft Lawsuits, and Paxil Birth Defect Lawsuits
A growing body of evidence indicates that
several drugs and medications, if used during pregnancy may
cause serious birth defects. These drugs include selective
serotonin-reuptake inhibitor SSRI antidepressants.
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are commonly
used as antidepressants. Drugs included in the SSRI class are
Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, Symbyax, Celexa, Cymbalta, Effexor and
Lexapro.
These SSRI antidepressants may cause birth
defects and developmental problems if taken during pregnancy.
Some potential birth defects and developmental problems include
neural tube birth defects, heart defects, cleft palates, cleft
lips, clubbed feet, as well as other malformations and
developmental problems. These selective serotonin-reuptake
inhibitor (SSRI) drugs have been strongly marketed by the drug
companies and are commonly used to treat depression and other
disorders.
SSRI class drugs include citalopram (Celexa, Cipramil, Cipram, Dalsan, Recital, Emocal,
Sepram, Seropram, Citox, Cital) dapoxetine (Priligy)
escitalopram (Lexapro, Cipralex, Seroplex, Esertia) fluoxetine
(Prozac, Fontex, Seromex, Seronil, Sarafem, Ladose,
Motivest,Flutop, Fluctin (EUR), Fluox (NZ), Depress (UZB), Lovan
(AUS)) fluvoxamine (Luvox, Fevarin, Faverin, Dumyrox, Favoxil,
Movox) indalpine (Upstene) (discontinued) paroxetine (Paxil,
Seroxat, Sereupin, Aropax, Deroxat, Divarius, Rexetin, Xetanor,
Paroxat, Loxamine, Deparoc) sertraline (Zoloft, Lustral, Serlain,
Asentra) vilazodone (Viibyrd) and zimelidine (Zelmid, Normud)
Some of the most popular SSRI antidepressants
are:
Studies suggest that the use of SSRI antidepressants
including Effexor, Prozac, Zoloft, Lexapro, Celexa, and Paxil
during pregnancy may cause serious birth defects including:
neural tube birth defects (abnormally shaped head/skull,
brain and spinal cord injuries)
heart birth defects and lung birth defects (PPHN)
abdominal wall injury and closure of the anus, omphacele (a
birth defect in which the infant's intestine or other, abdominal
organs stick out of the belly button
club foot
Lexapro® (escitalopram oxalate) and Celexa® (citalopram
hydrobromide) are both prescription medications classified as
selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors.
Wellbutrin Birth Defect Lawsuits,
Wellbutrin Neural Tube Birth Defect Lawsuits, Wellbutrin Primary Pulmonary
Hypertension in Newborns (PPHN) Lawsuits, Wellbutin Birth
Defect Lawsuits, Wellbutrin Lawsuits, and Wellbutrin Birth
Defect Lawsuits
Bupropion hydrochloride is marketed under the following
names:
- Wellbutrin
- Wellbutrin SR
- Wellbutrin XL
- Zyban
Wellbutrin, Wellbutrin SR, Zyban, Wellbutrin XL and bupropion
are in the FDA's pregnancy category C, which means the drug can
cause injury to unborn and nursing babies. A recent
article published in American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology
(July 2010) suggests that there may be an increased risk of
heart defects in the mother's offspring from the antidepressant
taken during pregnancy. The study identified a positive
association between early pregnancy Wellbutrin use and a
congenital heart problem known as a left outflow tract defect.
This heart birth defect can restrict the flow of blood to the
rest of the body from the heart's left chambers, and often must
be surgically corrected to allow the child's main artery to
function properly.
Unfortunately, depression is not uncommon in women of
childbearing age, and Wellbutrin is often used during the early
stages of pregnancy. Among the most serous side effects of
Wellbutrin are heart defects found in infants of women who took
the drugs during the first trimester of their pregnancies.
Depakote Birth Defect Lawsuit Information, Depakote ER Birth Defect Lawsuit
Information, Depakote Spina Bifida Lawsuit Information and Depakote Birth Defect Lawsuit
Information
by
Texas Depakote Spina Bifida
Lawyer Jason S. Coomer
Women that take Depakote, Depakote ER, Depakene, Depacon, Dépakine Chrono,
and other forms of divalproex sodium, while they are
pregnant may be at higher risk to have children with serious
birth defects including spina bifida, cleft palate, cleft
lip, and malformations. If you believe that you or
someone in your family is on Depakote or Depakote ER while
pregnant, please contact a doctor immediately.
For more
Depakote Lawsuit information, Spina Bifida Lawsuit information,
or other Depakote Birth Defect Lawsuit information,
please feel free
to
contact Depakote Birth Defect Lawyer and Spina Bifida Lawyer Jason
Coomer a Texas lawyer, or
use
our online submission form.
Depakote Spina Bifida Lawsuit Information, Depakote Birth
Defect Lawsuit Information, Depakote ER Spina Bifida Lawsuit Information,
Depakote Cleft Palate Lawsuit Information, Depakote
Malformation Lawsuit Information, Depakote Cleft Lip Lawsuit
Information, &
Defective Drug Birth Defect Lawsuit Information
The drug, Depakote, aka Depakote ER, Depakene, Depacon, Epival,
Dépakine Chrono,Valance, and divalproex sodium (USAN) is a
drug prescribed to treat seizures, migraine headaches, manic
episodes of bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder,
prevention of both manic and depressive phases of bipolar
disorder, epilepsy, chronic pain associated with neuropathy,
and migraine headaches. Further, with the increase in
pharmaceutical marketing off-label use of the drug has
become more prevalent including
treatment of mild depression, the depressive stage of
bi-polar disorder, and chronic pain such as migraine
headaches.
Depakote has been linked to major birth
defects in children of women that were taking this drug.
According to a recent medical scientific study, women taking
Depakote had four times the risk of delivering a child with
major birth defects, compared to women taking other, similar
drugs. The range of birth defects associated with
Depakote is broad, however the report specifically cited
neural tube defects such as spina bifida. Neural tube
defects are birth defects that affect the brain and spinal
cord; spinal bifida is a defect affecting the spinal cord
that causes paralysis of the legs. There is no known cure.
In addition to spina bifida, other birth
defects caused by Depakote include cleft palate, cleft lip,
heart defects, limb and digital deformities, facial
dysmorphism, mental developmental delays, and (difficult)
genitourinary malformations.
Valproate Neural Tube Defects FDA Advisory
on Valproate
FDA Advisories and Warnings include
Valproate Advisory, Topamax Advisory, SSRI Advisory,
Background
FDA first approved Depakene (valproic acid) in 1978 for the
treatment of epilepsy. More recently, FDA approved valproate for
the treatment of bipolar disorder and migraine headaches. As
valproate's indications for use expand, it is critical that all
health care professionals caring for women of childbearing
potential and taking valproate for any indication be informed
that valproate causes an increased risk of major birth defects.
Awareness of the therapeutic benefits and risks of valproate and
alternative therapies, as well as the risks of untreated
disease, is critical for informed prescribing and counseling of
all women taking valproate.
Valproate and Birth Defect Risk
Valproate use during pregnancy increases the risk of major
malformations, including neural tube defects. In the United
States, about 1 in 1500 babies is born with a neural tube
defect. The risk of neural tube defects is much higher in babies
born to mothers treated with valproate during the first 12 weeks
of pregnancy, with the risk increasing to 1 in 20 babies.
Data from the NAAED Pregnancy Registry show that the rate of
major malformations in babies born to women with epilepsy taking
valproate (monotherapy) is almost 4 times higher than the rate
of major malformations in babies born to women with epilepsy
taking a different antiepileptic drug. The NAAED Registry
reported a major malformation rate of 10.7% (95% C.I. 6.3% –
16.9%) in the offspring of women exposed to an average of 1,000
mg/day of valproic acid monotherapy during pregnancy (dose range
500 – 2000 mg/day). The major malformation rate among the
internal comparison group of 1,048 women with epilepsy who
received any other antiepileptic drug monotherapy during
pregnancy was 2.9% (95% CI 2.0% to 4.1%). Sixteen major
malformations occurred in the offspring of 149 women who used
valproate during pregnancy, and these malformations included
neural tube defects, craniofacial defects, cardiovascular
malformations and malformations involving other body systems.
Topamax Birth Defect Lawyer, Topiramate
Birth Defect Lawyer, Topamax Heart Defect Lawyer, Topamax Cleft
Palate Lawyer, Topamax Cleft Lip Lawyer, and Antiepileptic Drug
(APD) Birth Defect Lawyer
(Topamax and Topiramate Birth Defect Lawsuits)
The
FDA has recently announced that Topiramate (brand name Topamax)
causes an increased risk of development of cleft
lip and/or cleft palate (oral clefts) in infants born to women
treated with Topamax (topiramate) during pregnancy. If you or a
loved one have been taking Topamax during pregnancy and had a
child with a birth defect, it is important to seek medical
assistance. If you have questions regarding a potential Topamax
lawsuit for the death of a loved one or birth defect,
please feel free to e-mail Texas Topamax Birth Defect Lawyer
Jason Coomer with your name & contact information. or to
submit
an inquiry through this submission form.
Topamax Birth Defect Lawyer, Topiramate
Birth Defect Lawyer, Topamax Heart Defect Lawyer, Topamax Cleft
Palate Lawyer, Topamax Cleft Lip Lawyer, and Antiepileptic Drug
(APD) Birth Defect Lawyer
(Topamax and Topiramate Birth Defect Lawsuits)
Topiramate (brand name Topamax)
is a anticonvulsant drug. It has been approved for the treatment
of epilepsy and migraines, but has been aggressively marketed
for many off-label uses including bipolar
disorder, cluster headaches, eating disorders, obesity,
fibromyalgia, depression, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD),
alcoholism, sleep disorders, sleep-eating disorders, infantile
spasms, autism, periventricular leukomalacia in preterm infants
after an hypoxic-ischemic injury, essential tremor, bulimia
nervosa, obsessive-compulsive disorder, smoking cessation,
idiopathic intracranial hypertension, neuropathic pain, and
cocaine dependence. If you or a loved one have been taking
Topamax during pregnancy and had a child with a birth defect, it
is important to seek medical assistance.
The FDA recommends that "before starting
topiramate, pregnant women and women of childbearing potential
should discuss other treatment options with their health care
professional. Women taking topiramate should tell their health
care professional immediately if they are planning to or become
pregnant. Patients taking topiramate should not stop taking it
unless told to do so by their health care professional. Women
who become pregnant while taking topiramate should talk to their
health care professional about registering with the North
American Antiepileptic Drug Pregnancy Registry, a group that
collects information about outcomes in infants born to women
treated with antiepileptic drugs during pregnancy."
Topamax Birth Defect Malformation
Lawsuits and Cleft Lips or Palate Lawsuits (Topiramate Birth
Defect Lawsuits)
The epilepsy and migraine drug Topamax has
been associated with an increased risk of birth defects for
children of mothers that were taking the drug during pregnancy.
Research studies have found that there are higher than expected
rates of babies born with cleft lips, cleft palates, genital
defects and other birth malformations when Topamax is used by
women during pregnancy. Thus there is a growing amount of
research that indicates that the use of the epilepsy and
migraine drug, Topamax, either on its own or in combination with
other epilepsy drugs, may increase the risk of birth defects
when it is used during pregnancy.
In February 2011, U.S. Health Officials
announced that Topamax increases the risk for birth defects in
babies born to pregnant mothers taking the medication. The Food
and Drug Administration said new data shows the drug, sold
generically and as Johnson & Johnson's Topamax, can cause cleft
lips and cleft palate deformities.
Based on new research, the FDA suggests that health care
professionals strongly weigh the benefits and risks of
topiramate when prescribing it to women who are of childbearing
age, and Topamax will be classified as a Pregnancy Category D
drug.
SSRI Birth Defect Lawsuits, SSRI Neural
Tube Birth Defect Lawsuits, Primary Pulmonary
Hypertension in Newborns (PPHN) Lawsuits, Prozac Birth
Defect Lawsuits, Zoloft Lawsuits, and Paxil Birth Defect Lawsuits
Women that have taken SSRI antidepressants
such as Prozac, Zoloft, and Paxil during pregnancy may be at a
increased risk of their children having birth defects and health
problems. Recent studies have been linked SSRI Antidepressants
to birth defects and other health problems in babies.
including
persistent pulmonary hypertension in newborns (PPHN) or
developing a lung disorder, primary pulmonary hypertension (PPH).
In a recent study published in the New England Journal of
Medicine, women who took antidepressants in the third trimester
delivered babies who were six times more likely to have
persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN) or
developing a lung disorder, primary pulmonary hypertension (PPH)
than babies not exposed to SSRIs.
If you or a loved one is
taking a SSRI antidepressant during pregnancy or have had a
child with primary pulmonary hypertension or other birth
defects, it is important to seek medical assistance and advice.
If you have questions about a potential SSRI Birth Defect
Lawsuit, feel free to e-mail any questions you might have to
toxicdose@texaslawyers.com.
SSRI Birth Defects, Primary Pulmonary
Hypertension (PPH), Primary Pulmonary Hypertension of a Newborn,
and other Potential Health Problems
Primary Pulmonary
Hypertension (PPH) is a disorder of the lungs in which the
arteries are severely restricted, causing the blood pressure in
the pulmonary artery of the heart to rise to excessive levels.
Blood flow is restricted and oxygen levels in the blood are
suppressed.
Primary Pulmonary
Hypertension (PPH) is a rare disease in the statistical
sense, in that there are between one and two cases of
Primary Pulmonary Hypertension (PPH)
per million residents of the United States, which results in 300
new cases per year. However, recent studies show that
Primary Pulmonary Hypertension (PPH) may
be more prevalent than once thought as many cases have
gone undiagnosed and the number of cases appear to be on the
rise.
Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension in Newborns (PPHN)
starts while the baby is in the womb. It is thought that the
SSRI antidepressants effect the baby's natural development.
During pregnancy circulation is handled by the placenta and does
not go through the lungs, but after birth, the baby's
circulation switches over from the ductus arteriosus (which now
closes) to the lungs. However, in a baby born with Persistent
Pulmonary Hypertension in Newborns (PPHN),
the ductus arteriosus stays open and the baby's blood flow
continues to bypass the lungs. Because the blood does not enter
the lungs, it returns to the heart very low in oxygen causing
serious health problems. The baby's organs, such as the brain,
kidneys and liver quickly become stressed due to lack of oxygen.
Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension in Newborns (PPHN)
is usually diagnosed within 12 hours of delivery.
Persistent pulmonary hypertension of the
newborn is a cardiopulmonary disorder characterized by systemic
arterial hypoxemia secondary to elevated pulmonary vascular
resistance with resultant shunting of pulmonary blood flow to
the systemic circulation. This pathophysiologic syndrome has
been variously described as: Persistent pulmonary vascular
obstruction, Persistent fetal circulation, Pulmonary vasospasm,
Neonatal pulmonary ischemia, Persistent transitional
circulation.
Persistent pulmonary hypertension of the
newborn (PPHN) is the result of elevated pulmonary vascular
resistance to the point that venous blood is diverted to some
degree through fetal channels (i. e. the ductus arteriosus and
foramen ovale) into the systemic circulation and bypassing the
lungs, resulting in systemic arterial hypoxemia.
This disorder can be classified into three
forms dependent on the likely etiology of the pulmonary
hypertension: PPHN associated with pulmonary parenchymal
disease, such as hyaline membrane disease, meconium aspiration,
or transient tachypnea of the newborn as the cause of alveolar
hypoxia known as secondary PPHN or appropriate PPHN alveolar
oxygen tension appears to be the major determinant of pulmonary
artery vasoconstriction. PPHN with radiographically normal lungs
and no evidence of parenchymal disease frequently called
Persistent Fetal Circulation (PFC), or primary or inappropriate
PPHN. PPHN associated with hypoplasia of the lungs most often in
the form of diaphragmatic hernia associated with an anatomic
reduction in capillary number in addition to the pathophysiology
listed below.
FDA Information on SSRI Antidepressant
Birth Defects, Primary Pulmonary Hypertension (PPH), Primary
Pulmonary Hypertension of a Newborn, and other Potential Health
Problems
A recent study on women who had been treated
with antidepressant drugs that act as selective serotonin
reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) showed risks of SSRI medications
during pregnancy. This study focused on newborn babies with
persistent pulmonary hypertension (PPHN), which is a serious and
life-threatening lung condition that occurs soon after birth of
the newborn. Babies with PPHN have high pressure in their lung
blood vessels and are not able to get enough oxygen into their
bloodstream. About 1 to 2 babies per 1000 babies born in the
U.S. develop PPHN shortly after birth, and often they need
intensive medical care. In this study PPHN was six times more
common in babies whose mothers took an SSRI antidepressant after
the 20th week of the pregnancy compared to babies whose mothers
did not take an antidepressant. The study, by Christina Chambers
and others, was published on February 9, 2006 in The New England
Journal of Medicine.
The finding of PPHN in babies of mothers who
used a SSRI antidepressant in the second half of pregnancy adds
to concerns coming from previous reports that infants of mothers
taking SSRIs late in pregnancy may experience difficulties such
as irritability, difficulty feeding and in very rare cases,
difficulty breathing. In addition, the labeling for paroxetine (Paxil)
was recently changed to add information about findings in an
epidemiology study suggesting that exposure to the drug in the
first trimester of pregnancy may be associated with an increased
risk of cardiac birth defects (see FDA Public Health Advisory
for Paxil dated December 8, 2005).
Women who are pregnant or thinking about
becoming pregnant should not stop any antidepressant without
first consulting their physician. The decision to continue
medication or not should be made only after there has been
careful consideration of the potential benefits and risks of the
medication for each individual pregnant patient. If the decision
is made to stop treatment with SSRIs before or during pregnancy,
this should be done with a healthcare professional, according to
the prescribing information for the drug, and patients should be
observed closely in case their depression comes back.
SSRI Birth Defect Lawyers, Primary
Pulmonary Hypertension (PPH) Lawyers, Primary Pulmonary
Hypertension in Newborns (PPHN) Lawyers, and Prozac, Zoloft and
Paxil Lawyers
Texas Primary Pulmonary Hypertension (PPH)
Attorney Jason Coomer commonly works with other SSRI Birth
Defect lawyers throughout Texas and the United States including
Houston Primary Pulmonary Hypertension in Newborns (PPHN)
Lawyers, Boston SSRI Antidepressant Birth Defect Lawyers, San
Antonio Primary Pulmonary Hypertension in Newborns (PPHN)
Lawyers, Dallas Defective Medication Lawyers, and other Austin
Dangerous Drug Attorneys. By sharing information and working
together, his law firm and other firms throughout Texas and the
United States are able to provide better representation for
there clients.
If you or a loved one is
taking a SSRI antidepressant during pregnancy or took Zoloft,
Paxil, Prozac, or another SSRI antidepressant drug during
pregnancy and have had a child with primary pulmonary
hypertension (PPH), Primary Pulmonary Hypertension in
Newborns (PPHN), or other birth defects, it is
important to seek medical assistance and advice. If you have
questions about a potential SSRI Birth Defect Lawsuit, feel free
to e-mail any questions you might have to
toxicdose@texaslawyers.com.
Bad Drug Birth
Defect Lawsuit Information, Spina Bifida Lawsuit Information,
Depakote Cleft Palate Lawsuit Information, Depakote Malformation
Lawsuit Information, Cleft Lip Lawsuit Information,
Defective Drug Birth Defect Lawsuit Information,
and Paxil
Birth Defect Lawsuit Information
Avoidable birth defects are one of the
most devastating problems that can occur to a family and a
new baby. Parents who should be celebrating the birth
of a new child, are often caught off guard when their child
is born with severe disabilities and often do not
realize that someone may be responsible for the birth defect including drug manufacturers that hid information
about medications that can cause birth defects. The
family is typically busy taking care of the child with the
serious health problems and often does not know that the
birth defect was preventable. When they discover the
probable cause of the preventable birth defect they are
often filled with anger and rage. It can be horrifying
to find out that
a child will have permanent health problems because a drug company hid research and did
not provide an adequate warning of a product's safety.
In addition to the birth defects caused
by Depakote, many other dangerous drugs can cause birth
defects including Paxil and Accutane. It is extremely
important that you understand the potential risk of taking
any drug or medication during pregnancy.
Paroxetine (trade names Seroxat, Paxil)
is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI)
antidepressant that has been linked to
birth defects including Persistent Pulmonary
Hypertension (PPHN), heart, lung, abdominal and cranial
defects. Women that
have taken Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor
Antidepressants (SSRIs)
after the 20th week of pregnancy have a 6-fold
increased risk of having their child develop persistent pulmonary
hypertension, a life-threatening lung disorder.
Infants with persistent pulmonary hypertension have
abnormal blood flow through the heart and lungs and do not
get enough oxygen to their bodies and may become very sick
or die.
The SSRIs antidepressants that have been
linked to persistent pulmonary hypertension (PPHN) include
Paxil by GlaxoSmithKline, Zoloft marketed by Pfizer; Prozac
sold by Eli Lilly; Celexa and Lexapro by Forest
Laboratories, Effexor marketed by Wyeth, Luvox by Solvay,
and the generic makers of these drugs include Barr
Pharmaceuticals, Ranbaxy Labs and Genpharm.
Infants born with PPHN often require
mechanical assistance to breath and even worse about 10% to
20% of the infants do not survive even when they receive
treatment. The PPHN babies that do survive often experience
developmental delays, brain abnormalities and hearing loss,
experts say.
Other birth defects that have been
associated with SSRIs include Anencephaly, a neural tube
defect where much of the brain does not develop;
Craniosynostosis, an abnormality in which connections of the
skull bones close prematurely; and Heart birth defects
including septal defects and ventricular defects.
For more information on Dangerous Drug
Birth Defect Lawsuits, please see our
Paxil Birth Defect Lawsuit and Paxil Heart Defect Lawsuit Information
Page.
In 2006 a “black box” warning was placed on
the Depakote’s label, warning pregnant patients about potential
Depakote related birth defects.
A study done the same year found that about
20% of babies born to mothers taking Depakote suffered serious
problems, as opposed to other drugs which only had rates of
between 1 to 11%.
In December 2009, the FDA released a reminder
for healthcare professionals that women of childbearing age
should be informed that the use of Depakote could cause a wide
variety of birth defects. The FDA cited an increased risk of
neural tube defects and other major birth defects, such as
craniofacial defects and cardiovascular malformations, in babies
exposed to Depakote during pregnancy.
Depakote Spina Bifida Lawsuit Information, Depakote Birth
Defect Lawsuit Information, Depakote ER Spina Bifida Lawsuit Information,
Depakote Cleft Palate Lawsuit Information, Depakote
Malformation Lawsuit Information, Depakote Cleft Lip Lawsuit
Information, &
Defective Drug Birth Defect Lawsuit Information
Federal and Texas Birth Defect Lawsuits are
some of the most complicated types of cases in the practice
of law. As a Texas birth defect and birth injury lawyer that handles
birth defect, infant death and stillborn baby claims, Jason
S. Coomer works with
other Birth Defect Lawyers throughout the United States including Boston
Depakotel Birth Defect Lawyers,
Atlanta Depakote Birth Defect Lawyers, Virginia Birth Defect Lawyers,
Dallas Depakote Spina Bifida Birth Defect Lawyers, Houston
Spina Bifida Birth Defect
Lawyers, and other Depakote Birth Defect Lawyers. In working with other birth defect lawyers,
we seek compensation from negligent drug companies and other
companies that
have severely injured or killed infants or mothers through
selling dangerous products, medications, and drugs that they
should have know were dangerous, but hid significant
research in order to sell more product to make a profit.
If you have suffered the loss of your
baby or your baby has been born with a significant birth
defect, feel free to
contact Texas
Depakote Birth Defect Attorney, Jason S. Coomer.
Off Label Drug Marketing of Depakote and
Depakote ER
Off label
drug marketing occurs when a drug is marketed beyond its
approved FDA uses. When combined with false certifications to
the United States Government, off label healthcare whistleblower
fraud claims can arise. For more information on
Off Qui Tam Fraud Claims.
Pharmaceutical Fraud, Bad Drug, and Product Liability
Lawsuits
For more
Depakote Lawsuit information, Spina Bifida Lawsuit information,
or other Depakote Birth Defect Lawsuit information,
please feel free
to
contact Depakote Birth Defect Lawyer and Spina Bifida Lawyer Jason
Coomer a Texas lawyer, or
use
our online submission form.
Cerebral Palsy Birth Injury Claims
"Cerebral" refers to the brain and "palsy" to muscle
weakness/poor control. Cerebral palsy itself is not
progressive, but is a developmental problem that can occur
during fetal development, the birthing process, or infancy.
Once a child has cerebral palsy, the child will not get worse over time, however,
conditions such as muscle spasticity can develop which may
get better or worse over time. Although cerebral
palsy is not "curable", training and
therapy treatments can help improve function. For more
information on Cerebral Palsy Birth Injury Claims go to our
Cerebral
Palsy Birth Injury Claim Information Page.
Brachial Plexus Birth
Injury Claims
Brachial Plexus Injuries occur when the brachial plexus, a
network of nerves between the neck and shoulder, is damaged.
Because the brachial plexus conducts nerve signals from the
spinal cord to the arm and hand, when it is damaged
impairment of the arm and hand can occur causing a limp arm.
The brachial plexus is a network of nerves formed by fibers
located between the shoulder and the neck. Most brachial
plexus injuries happen during birth when excessive lateral
traction is applied to the fetal neck region during a
vaginal birth and a traumatic stretching of the brachial
plexus occurs causing damages to the nerves. Brachial plexus injuries
are more common in infants that are larger
than average in size as they have more trouble moving through
the birth canal. For more information on Brachial
Plexus Birth Injury Claims including Erb's Palsy Birth
Injury Claims, please go to our
Erb's Palsy
and Brachial Plexus Birth Injury Claim Page.
Federal and Texas Medical Malpractice Claims
Federal Tort Claims and Texas Medical
Malpractice Claims are
some of the most complicated types of cases in the practice
of law. As a Texas medical malpractice birth injury lawyer that has handled
medical malpractice claims, I have worked with other Federal
Medical Malpractice Brachial Plexus Lawyers, Texas Medical Malpractice
Birth Injury
Lawyers, and Texas Brachial Plexus Palsy Lawyers to seek compensation from negligent doctors
and negligent health care providers that
have severely injured or killed infants or mother through medical
mistakes and medical carelessness during prenatal care or
the birthing process.
If you have a birth defect or birth
injury claim
regarding a brachial plexus injury, Cerebral Palsy, wrongful death, shoulder dystocia,
or other serious injuries, feel free to contact Texas Birth
Defect Claim and
Birth Injury Claim
Lawyer Jason Coomer. He commonly works with other
birth injury claim lawyers and birth defect claim lawyers
including other Texas Birth Injury Claim Lawyers and Texas
Birth Defect Claim Lawyers.
If you believe that your baby has
suffered a
Birth Injury
or a Birth Defect as a result of medical negligence or a
defective product seek immediate medical assistance.
If you have any questions about a birth injury claim or
birth defect claim, feel free to
contact Texas Birth Injury Claim and Birth Defect Claim Attorney, Jason S. Coomer.
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