New Blood Test Checks for Depakote Birth Defects

Known as an alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) device, the blood test can be administered by doctors and checks for two key things: testicular cancer and fetal birth defects. Women have been prescribed Depakote since 1983, and this test could have helped scores of women who gave birth to babies with birth defects. Sometimes the defects are so severe that the child doesn’t survive. It’s a tool that has come way too late according to critics.

16 Years for a Depakote Birth Defect Warning

Even though Depakote has been available since the early ‘80s, it wasn’t until 2009 that the FDA issued a warning about serious pregnancy side effects of Depakote. According to the warning, taking Depakote while pregnant causes an increased risk of craniofacial defects, cardiovascular issues, and neural tube defects. While Depakote is largely prescribed for seizure patients, they’re not the only target market.

Depakote is also prescribed for bi-polar disorder, manic depressive patients and those suffering from migraine headaches. This increases the pool of potential birth defect victims. It’s hoped that this blood test will help provide women with the information they need to make sound decisions, but it’s certainly not a fix. A host of moral and personal choices go into choosing to continue a pregnancy when a mother knows that the fetus has birth defects.

How the Test Works  

A common Depakote birth defect, neural tube defects, can be diagnosed very early in a pregnancy. When this is happening, the fetus leaks AFP into the mother’s amniotic fluid because the spinal cord and cranium area don’t close properly. The AFP then enters the mother’s bloodstream and it’s fairly simple to test for spiked AFP levels safely and quickly.

Too much AFP in the bloodstream is an early warning sign for a number of neural tube defects like spina bifida and missing large sections of the brain. With such severe birth defects, a number of Depakote patients likely would have opted to end their pregnancy rather than cause suffering for their child. Unfortunately, the “solution” is nearly 20 years too late.

Does Your Child Have Depakote Birth Defects?

If you’re a mother whose child suffered birth defects you believe were caused by Depakote, you might have a legal claim. Many mothers were prescribed this drug during their pregnancy and told it was safe. Abbott Laboratories, according to lawsuits, intentionally hid the risk factors.

Visit the Depakote Birth Defect Class Action Lawsuit Investigation to learn more. You can submit your information for a free claim review from a compassionate birth defect attorney. If you, your child and your family has had a negative Depakote experience, you deserve to be heard and perhaps compensated for your pain and suffering.