The anticonvulsant medication Neurontin, used to treat chronic nerve pain, has been linked to numerous congenital birth defects.

The pharmaceutical giant Pfizer designed Neurontin to treat epileptic seizures and to relieve nerve pain caused by multiple sclerosis, shingles, diabetic neuropathy, and sciatica. However, research findings show that taking the medication while pregnant increases the likelihood of developing birth defects due to fetal exposure.

A Danish Neurontin birth defect study followed more than 800,000 births. Researchers found that women who took an epilepsy drug such as Neurontin had a 3.2 percent chance of having a child born with a birth defect, as compared to a 2.4 percent chance for women who did not take the medication. Likewise, animal studies have concluded that Neurontin adversely affects bone development including ossification of the skull, vertebrae, forelimbs and hindlimbs. Neurontin animal research has also found that the drug affects the kidneys and urinary system after fetal exposure.

Reported Neurontin birth defects include:

• Heart defects
• Cleft palate
• Skull malformations
• Spina bifida
• Polydactyly (extra fingers or toes)
• Bone malformations
• Hydroureter and/or hydronephrosis
• Hypospadias (an abnormality in the opening of the urethra in boys)

The FDA has labeled Neurontin as a Category C drug for pregnancy risk, meaning animal studies have shown an adverse reproductive impact but the drug has not been adequately studied in humans to see if the results are similar. 

Neurontin MS Treatment

Neurontin is sometimes prescribed as a pain treatment for multiple sclerosis patients. MS affects more than 2 million patients around the world and is often diagnosed during childbearing years. Multiple sclerosis occurs when a person’s immune system attacks the protective layer that surrounds nerve fibers, which then causes damaging scar tissue to form. When nerve fibers are damaged, the brain cannot communicate with the nerves to help an individual move and function normally.

Neurontin has been used to treat pain associated with MS lesions and spasticity. In addition to treating MS, Neurontin is also prescribed for many off-label uses, such as a treatment for restless leg syndrome, anxiety disorders, insomnia, and bipolar disorder.

Neurontin Birth Defect Lawsuits

Since the FDA approved it in 1993, Neurontin has been used to treat various chronic nerve pain conditions. While it’s legal for physicians to prescribe Neurontin for conditions other than what the FDA approved it for, it is not lawful for the drug’s manufacturers to market the medication for an “off label” use.

In a 2014 Neurontin lawsuit settlement, Pfizer agreed to pay $325 million after being accused of offering physicians a financial kick-back in exchange for prescribing Neurontin off-label for conditions such as anxiety.

Some women who were prescribed Neurontin during pregnancy claim they were not fully informed of the risks of Neurontin birth defects, and birth defect attorneys are investigating patient claims that had they known of the risks of taking Neurontin while pregnant, they would not have taken it. Neurontin lawsuits may help victims financially recover from medical bills, as well as compensate for the pain and suffering caused by Neurontin birth defects.