Side effects of Depakote, an anti-seizure drug produced by Abbott Laboratories Inc., are leading to birth defect lawsuits.

These Depakote birth defects lawsuits allege that when taken during the first trimester of pregnancy the drug causes serious birth defects.

Plaintiff Tayia C. was born with birth defects as a result of her mother taking Depakote during the first trimester of her pregnancy, according to the birth defects lawsuit.

The plaintiff claims that Abbott Laboratories, along with AbbVie Inc., downplayed the dangers of the drug, and marketed the anti-seizure drug despite knowing of scientific evidence linking the drug to birth defects.

The Depakote birth defects lawsuit alleges that recent studies have confirmed that Depakote creates a higher risk of birth defects in the children of pregnant women than other anti-seizure drugs.

AbbVie and Abbott received approval to market and distribute Depakote for the treatment of certain forms of epilepsy in 1978. The Depakote birth defects lawsuit claims that the companies have been aware of the risk of birth defects associated with the drug since before they began marketing and distributing the drug.

Depakote contains valproic acid as its primary compound, which has been established as a cause of severe birth defects. Birth defects that can occur as a result of valproic acid intake include cleft palate, cleft lip, limb and toe deformities, facial dysmorphism, mental development delays, and heart defects. More than one of these defects can occur simultaneously.

The Depakote birth defects lawsuit further claims that the drug has been proven by medical research to be one of the most – or perhaps the most – likely to disturb the growth of embryos or fetuses when compared to all other anti-seizure medications on the market.

A recent study found that 11 percent of infants exposed to the medication during the first trimester of pregnancy were born with birth defects.

Despite this evidence, the lawsuit claims, the companies continue marketing and distributing Depakote without concern for the consumers and the lives they are putting at risk.

A previous Depakote birth defects class action lawsuit alleged that the company, prior to marketing the drug, had “no reliable evidence” that the drug was safe to use to treat schizophrenia or narcotics withdrawal, and withheld the fact that the drug could be harmful and even life-threatening.

In order to resolve investigations of allegedly illegal and unsafe marketing of Depakote, Abbott agreed to pay $1.6 billion in civil and criminal penalties in 2012.

The Depakote Birth Defects Lawsuit is Case No. 3:15-cv-892, in the U.S. District Court for the East St. Louis Division of the Southern District of Illinois.