Many antidepressants are classified as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors or SSRI. There are multiple SSRI on the market including:
· Zoloft
· Celexa
· Symbyax
· Lexapro
· Paxil
· Prozac
· Effexor
According to some studies, SSRIs are linked to serious birth defects including persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn or PPHN.
Facts about SSRI Birth Defects:
· The New England Journal of Medicine study found that women who took SSRIs during their third trimester were six times more likely to deliver babies born with PPHN-or to have babies that would develop primary pulmonary hypertension-than women who did not take SSRIs during their third trimmest.
· A 2005 Danish study determined that infants that were exposed to SSRIs during the first trimester of pregnancy were found to have a 60% higher chance of developing congenital heart defects.
· Paxil and Effexor were both highlighted by the FDA in 2005 for warnings associated with these risks.
· Two years before the FDA approval of Prozac in 1998, a 1996 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine revealed that women taking Prozac during pregnancy were twice as likely to deliver a baby with three or more “minor abnormalities” and below average neonatal adaptation.
· In 2004, Health Canada advised of the potential serious adverse effects of SSRI antidepressants of newborns.
If you or a loved one has taken an SSRI drug and has a child that suffers from a birth defect or from PPHN, the lawyers at the Manchin Injury Law Group can help. Contact us today for more information.
Attorney Timothy Manchin established the Manchin Injury Law Group in 2011 after his law partner of more than 25 years became a West Virginia circuit court judge. His focus is on helping individual clients and entire families victimized by negligent acts.
We offer a free initial consultation at our office in the Manchin Professional Building — our home since 1983 — conveniently located in Fairmont.
If you are unable to visit our firm, we can come to your home or hospital room.
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