According to recent medical reports, the antidepressant drug Cymbalta has been linked with a high risk of in utero birth defects when taken by pregnant women.

These birth defects can result in early miscarriage, but are more likely to cause life-threatening complications at birth due to the alleged Cymbalta birth defects.

Cymbalta is an antidepressant drug manufactured and sold by Eli Lilly. Since its introduction into the North American drug market in 2004, it has remained as the pharmaceutical company’s top selling drug, bringing in $5 billion in revenue, at least until last year when the patent for the drug expired.

Since 2004, Cymbalta was regularly prescribed to treat anxiety, fibromyalgia, and chronic muscle and bone pain.

A study published in Epidemiology claims that pregnant women who take Cymbalta are three times more likely to develop birth defects than their counterparts who do not take a SNRI antidepressant like Cymbalta.

A similar study published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2006 found that pregnant women who took Cymbalta during their third trimester were six times more likely to give birth to infants with a potentially life-threatening lung defect known as PPHN than their counterparts who did not take an SNRI or SSRI antidepressant medication.

Based on claims brought forth in several Cymbalta birth defects lawsuits, plaintiffs allege Eli Lilly negligently marketed and sold the antidepressant drug to women while allegedly knowing of the potential birth defect complications.

Within the past couple of years, many women have chosen to file Cymbalta birth defects lawsuits or have joined birth defect class action lawsuits.

SSRI Drugs and Birth Defects

According to recent medical studies, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) carry a high risk of in utero birth defects that may lead to disability or infant death.

SSRIs include antidepressant medications like Zoloft, Prozac, Lexapro, and Celexa, while SNRIs include antidepressant drugs like Cymbalta and Effexor.

Some birth defects associated with Cymbalta and other antidepressants include:

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

Congenital birth defects can require a newborn to undergo a number of successive surgeries and also require other forms of expensive medical care. These procedures and treatments can often place substantial financial burden on the infant’s family on top of the emotional burden of having to see their newborn go through multiple surgeries to treat often life-threatening birth defects.

As a result, many families have sued the SSRI and SNRI drug manufacturers seeking compensation for the various medical expenses accrued due to the birth defects allegedly caused by Cymbalta and other antidepressant drugs.