Birth defects can be a heart-wrenching experience. And while much remains unknown surrounding them, several causes of birth defects have been identified, leading to legal action.

Study Reveals New Cause of Birth Defects

A study published in the February/March issue of the peer-reviewed journal Pediatrics has found a new possible cause of birth defects: fevers in the first months of pregnancy.

The researchers for the Pediatrics study performed a meta-analysis, a type of study where researchers pool data from several other studies and compare the results and methodologies.

In this case, data from 46 extant studies was pooled, and it was discovered that women who suffered a fever in the first trimester of pregnancy had a higher risk of birth defects.

Women who had this risk factor had a 50 percent to 150 percent increase in their risk of suffering a host of birth defects including cleft palates, heart defects, and neural tube defects — a constellation of birth defects that typically happen during the first trimester.

Antidepressants Linked to Legal Action

A number of epidemiological studies have suggested that exposure to antidepressants known as SSRIs can also cause birth defects, particularly when taken during the first trimester.

SSRIs are a large family of antidepressants that include Zoloft, Paxil, and Prozac. This data comes both from epidemiological studies of antidepressant users. Additionally, some of the earliest animal trials of these drugs found that they could cause birth defects in mammals.

This has lead to a wave of group birth defect lawsuits against the makers of antidepressants by the parents of children that have allegedly suffered birth defects from antidepressants.

Antidepressant Lawsuits

Birth defect lawsuits have been filed alleging Zoloft birth defects, Paxil birth defects, and other antidepressant related birth defects. Antidepressant birth defects like Zoloft lawsuits have alleged that the makers of antidepressants were aware — or reasonably should have been aware — of the risk of serious birth defects like heart defects, cleft palate, and PPHN.

These Zoloft lawsuits further allege that in spite of their duty to thoroughly test their drugs and perform postmarket surveillance, drug makers have downplayed the risk of taking antidepressants while pregnant, leading to life-threatening birth defects.

Most of the antidepressant birth defect lawsuits have taken the form of group lawsuits called MDLs or multidistrict litigation. MDLs are a process that coordinates groups of similar lawsuits, grouped together to streamline the legal process. This is designed to avoid repeating costly legal processes like presenting evidence and flying in expert witnesses.