A birth defects lawsuit was filed by a Pennsylvania mother who alleges her son stillborn due to birth defects she claims were directly caused by the drug Effexor.

Plaintiff Megan Wickizer was prescribed and took Effexor or Effexor XR to manage symptoms of depression during Wickizer’s pregnancy in 2011, according to the Effexor birth defects lawsuit.

“Plaintiff and/or her physicians relied upon the fact that any birth defects and other serious pregnancy issues associated with the use of Effexor would have been listed or emphasized in the Effexor label or drug information as a basis to believe that Effexor was safe for use during pregnancy and would not cause birth defects,” Wickizer alleges in the Effexor lawsuit.

On Nov. 15, 2011, Wickizer’s son was stillborn and had several birth defects that contributed to his death including anencephaly, a birth defect in which a child is born with a large portion of the brain, skull, and/or scalp missing having never developed during pregnancy.

Wickizer claims that until recently, she was not aware of any information regarding the possible link between a mother’s use of Effexor and the high risk of fatal birth defects.

The anti-depressant birth defects lawsuit alleges failure to warn, design defect product liability, negligence, negligent design, fraud, misrepresentation, suppression, constructive fraud, breach of express and implied warranties, gross negligence/malice, loss of consortium, negligent infliction of emotional distress, and punitive damages.

The Effexor Birth Defects Lawsuit is Wickizer v. Wyeth Pharmaceuticals Inc., et al., Case No. 2:14-cv-03049-CMR, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

Effexor and Birth Defects

Effexor (venlafaxine hydrochloride) is an SSRI drug designed and manufactured by Wyeth Pharmaceutical, a Pfizer Inc. subsidiary. Effexor was first approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as an antidepressant treatment for adults in 1993. Since then, many adults, including pregnant women, have been prescribed Effexor to manage depression.

However, within the last few years there have been a slew of reports claiming that Effexor has many unintended side effects. In the case of pregnant women, it can cause in utero birth defects.

Some birth defects associated with Effexor and other anti-depression medications include:

• Spina bifida
• Craniosynostosis
• Cleft lip or palate
• Club foot
• Heart damage or defect
• Internal malformation such as omphalocele
• PHN (persistent pulmonary hypertension)
• Lung defects