Birth Defects Attorneys in Houston

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Thousands of lawsuits have been filed around the country on behalf of children suffering from heart defects that may have resulted by the use of antidepressant drugs by their mothers while pregnant. These heart defects may include atrial septal defects, ventricular septal defects, tetralogy of fallot, hypoplastic left heart syndrome, transposition of the great arteries (TGA or TOGA), patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), Total anomalous pulmonary venous return (TAPVR), double outlet right ventricle (DORV), and coarctation of the aorta (CoA)

In addition to the heart defects, studies have shown that these drugs can cause craniosynostosis in babies and a new study has shown a link between their use by women and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in their babies.

If your baby was born with any birth defect and you used an antidepressant drug while pregnant, you should immediately seek the advice of an experienced birth defect lawyer in Texas.

Commercials About Defective Drugs

I believe I have been harmed by a prescription drug I took and have seen lawyer commercials about the side-effects. Should I wait to be contacted by the drug company for compensation?

No. You will not be contacted by the drug companies or anybody else to see if you have been injured and entitled to compensation. It is up to you to take action before the statute of limitations bars your claim and you right to compensation is lost forever.

If your baby was born with a heart defect and you were prescribed an antidepressant while pregnant, you should take immediate action. If you took an antidepressant within a year before the birth and your baby was born with Autism, you should call us immediately.

Antidepressants and Autism in Newborns

Antidepressant drugs are commonly known as “SSRI” which stands for “Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor” and “Serotonin-Specific Reuptake Inhibitor.” They are commonly used to treat depression, anxiety disorders, personality disorders and insomnia.

The most common SSRI drugs are:

Studies have shown a two-fold increase in pulmonary defects in babies whose mothers used SSRI medications while pregnant versus those who did not.

What is Celexa?

Celexa is one of a group of drugs known as SSRIs that has been the subject of Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) warning over concern that it can cause heart problems in babies. Some SSRI drugs have also been linked to craniosynostosis and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in babies.

Celexa (citalopram) is manufactured by Forest Pharmaceuticals under license from Lundbeck. It is an antidepressant within the group known as Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs). In addition to some risks of suicide and mania, other side-effects include the possibility of heart defects in babies when taken by their pregnant mothers. In addition to the defects mentioned above, there are concerns that SSRI drugs cause Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension in the Newborn (PPHN). The manufacturer itself warns, “The safety of Celexa during pregnancy and lactation has not been established. Therefore, Celexa should not be used during pregnancy, unless, in the opinion of the physician, the expected benefits to the patient markedly outweigh the possible hazards to the fetus.”

What is Lexapro and What Does it Treat?

Lexapro (escitalopram oxalate) is manufactured by Forest Pharmaceuticals as an antidepressant drug. It is used to treat Major Depressive Disorder and Generalized Anxiety Disorder.

Major Depressive Disorder is generally a depressed mood that usually lasts for at least two weeks that interferes with daily functioning. It can involve depressed mood, loss of interest in usual activities, significant change in weight and/or appetite, insomnia or hypersomnia, psychomotor agitation or retardation, increased fatigue, feelings of guilt or worthlessness, slowed thinking or impaired concentration, suicide attempt or suicidal ideation.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder is persistent excessive anxiety and worry for at least six months and is difficult for the person to control. It can include restlessness, edginess, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, irritability, muscle tension and sleep disturbance.

What are side-effects of Lexapro?

In addition to the risk of suicide, there are great concerns regarding a possible link between the use of Lexapro and other SSRI drugs and heart defects in their babies. Studies have also shown that antidepressants such as Lexapro can cause Autism children when used by their pregnant mothers.

What is Prozac?

Prozac (Fluoxetine) contains benzyl alcohol, butyl paraben, carboxymethylcellulose sodium, edetate calcium disodium, FD&C Blue No. 1, gelatin, iron oxide yellow, methyl paraben, propyl paraben, silicone, sodium propionate, sodium lauryl sulfate, starch and titanium dioxide.

What is Prozac Used to Treat?

Prozac (Fluoxetine) is used to treat Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), Bulimia Nervosa, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). It is commonly prescribed to treat depression and anxiety and has in the past been given to pregnant women with these symptoms.

What are the Side Effects of Prozac?

Side effects of using Prozac (Fluoxetine) include hypersensitivity, suicidal tendencies, and studies have shown a correlation between Prozac ingested by pregnant women and serious heart defects resulting in their babies. Women who took Prozac while pregnant should have their baby evaluated for hypertension and heart defects. Similarly, parents of children with such issues should determine if the mother was prescribed Prozac while pregnant.

The risk to the baby is so great that the manufacturer of Prozac now advises doctors that “Prozac should not be administered to pregnant women or those intending to become pregnant unless in the opinion of the treating physician, the expected benefits to the patient markedly outweigh the possible hazards to the fetus or the child.” Furthermore, it has been found that use of SSRI drugs by a pregnant woman results in a six-fold increase in the risk of the baby developing persistent pulmonary hypertension (PPHN).

What is Zoloft and What is it Prescribed for?

Zoloft (sertraline hydrochloride) is manufactured by the drug giant Pfizer. It is marketed as an antidepressant, antipanic, antiobsessional agent. Zoloft is generally used to treat panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (ODCD) and depression. Zoloft has been prescribed to pregnant women to treat these symptoms during their pregnancy. However, pregnant women were never made aware of the possibility that Zoloft use might result in heart-related birth defects in their babies.

What are the Side Effects of Zoloft?

In addition to the risk to a baby’s heart, side-effects of Zoloft include suicidal ideation and withdrawal symptoms. The risk to the fetus is so great that Pfizer (the manufacturer of Zoloft) has warned doctors, “The safety of Zoloft during pregnancy and lactation has not been established and therefore, it should not be used in women of childbearing potential or nursing mothers, unless, in the opinion of the physician, the potential benefits to the patient outweigh the possible hazards to the fetus.” However, many pregnant women were prescribed Zoloft and their babies developed serious heart defects that will require dangerous surgery to correct.

Zoloft is also in the group of antidepressant drugs known as Selective Sarotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) which have been shown to greatly increase the risk that a baby will have persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN) when taken by their pregnant mother. Since these concerns were raised, there have been additional studies that indicate Zoloft and other SSRI antidepressants might be responsible for the serious heart defects described above.

Zyban Wellbutrin Bupropion Lawsuit

If you or a loved one used the drug Bupropion (also known by the names Zyban, Wellbutrin, Voxra, Budeprion and Aplenzin) while pregnant, you should know that researchers have found a connection between use of these drugs and serious heart defects in their babies. The study found that babies born to women who used the drug in their first trimester of pregnancy were at an increased risk of developing a serious heart defect known as Left Ventricle Outflow Tract Obstruction (LVOTO) including coarctation of the aorta and hypoplastic left heart.

What is Zyban, Wellbutrin and Bupropion?

The drug is manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and has been used for treatment of depression and to assist in quitting smoking. Women who have used the drug while pregnant and whose babies developed heart defects should seek the advice of an attorney board certified as a specialist in personal injury trial law firm, such as Fleming Law.