Depakote Birth Defect Lawsuits & Studies Show Multiple Risks

A recent study on the effect of Depakote on a fetus was published in The Lancet Neurology in January 2013. The study showed that women who took Depakote while they were pregnant had a higher risk of giving birth to a child who would exhibit lower IQ scores as opposed to those who were not subjected to the anti-seizure medication exposure while in utero.

The most current results of this study produced data from children who underwent testing at age six. It was also reported that those same test subjects were similarly tested at age three producing similar results. The study revealed that the lower IQ scores did not seem to improve, even as the children grew older.

Side Effects and Conditions Associated with Depakote Use

It is suspected that the birth defects associated with Depakote go beyond cognitive issues, and in fact the ingestion of the anti-epileptic drug may increase the risk of other birth defects, one of which includes Autism.

Physical birth defects that have been linked to the use of Depakote, including cleft palate can be fixed through surgery; however, other birth defects, such as hand malformations, ribs that develop abnormally and spina bifida are either more difficult to treat or completely untreatable.

As is the case for most controversial medications, the FDA feels confident enough to leave Depakote on the market. They feel that the benefits of the drug outweigh the risks; however, they do acknowledge the potentially devastating side effects.

What is Depakote Used for?

Depakote, otherwise referred to as valproate, is a drug that is used to treat and help manage epileptic seizures. It is also prescribed as a treatment for those who suffer from manic depressive disorder and bipolar disorder — two conditions that seem to be more prevalent as the decades pass.

Depakote can also be used for the treatment of migraine headaches, which also seem to be on the rise with no prejudice to gender or North American demographic.

Filing a Depakote Lawsuit

If you or a loved one has taken Depakote while pregnant and has given birth to a child with a birth defect, you may be entitled to receive compensation. Please visit our Depakote Class Action Lawsuit Investigation page for more information about the current lawsuit. Compensation is based on the severity of the injuries.