SSRI Birth Defect Studies Spark Hundreds of Lawsuits

Pharmaceutical companies continue to downplay the risks of birth defects associated with serotonin-reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) drugs, despite several studies showing a link does exist. As more women learn of these study results, the number of SSRI antidepressant birth defect lawsuits filed in the United States has grown. Birth defect lawsuits have been filed on behalf of hundreds of children harmed by SSRIs, including Zoloft, Paxil, Lexapro, Celexa and Prozac. Here’s a look at some of the studies influencing these lawsuits.

SSRI Antidepressants and PPHN

One of the most cited prenatal SSRI studies used in lawsuits is a 2006 study released by the New England Journal of Medicine that found women who took SSRIs in the last half of pregnancy were six times more likely to give birth to a child suffering from persistent pulmonary hypertension (PPHN). PPHN occurs when a newborn’s circulation system does not adapt to breathing outside the womb. The effects of PPHN can be severe, including shock, heart failure, brain damage, kidney failure, and even death. The study didn’t show any increased risk for mothers who took non-SSRI antidepressants.

SSRI Antidepressants and Heart Defects

In 2005, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned women that taking SSRIs such as Zoloft, Paxil, Lexapro, Celexa and Prozac during the first three months of pregnancy could increase the risk of heart defects in some babies. SSRI heart defects include ventricle septal defects (VSD), atrial septal defects (ASD), aorta coarctation, hypoplastic right or left heart syndrome, transposition of the great arteries (TGA), tetralogy of fallot (TOF), and more.

SSRIs and Autism Spectrum Disorder

A study published in the July 2011 issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry suggested that women who use an SSRI in the year prior to delivery double their risk of having a baby with autism spectrum disorder. This risk quadrupled when the SSRI was taken during the first trimester.

Other Birth Defects Linked to SSRI Antidepressants

A new study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology found that women who continue taking antidepressants into their second trimester double their chance of going into premature labor. Overall, almost 27% of women in the study group went into early labor, with 14% actually delivering premature babies. The study also found that women who were on an SSRI antidepressant such as fluoxetine (Prozac), sertraline (Zoloft), citalopram (Celexa) and paroxetine (Paxil) increased the risk of newborn seizure.

Other side effects and birth defects linked to SSRI antidepressants include abdominal birth defects or abdominal hernia (omphalocele), cranial birth defects (craniosynotosis), spina bifida, and clubfoot or other limb abnormalities.

Filing a Birth Defect Lawsuit

If your child was born with a birth defect you believe was caused by taking an SSRI such as Zoloft, Paxil, Lexapro, Celexa or Prozac, you may have legal options to pursue compensation from the drug maker to help cover your child’s medical expenses, ongoing medical monitoring, pain and suffering, and loss of quality of life. Consulting with an antidepressant birth defect lawyer can help you determine the best course of action for seeking compensation, whether that means filing an individual antidepressant birth defect lawsuit, a Paxil or Zoloft birth defect class action lawsuit, or joining a multidistrict litigation (MDL).

For more information about filing a birth defect lawsuit or class action lawsuit, visit the Zoloft, Paxil, Celexa, Lexapro & Prozac SSRI Antidepressant Birth Defect Class Action Lawsuit Investigation. While you’re there, submit your information for a free, no-obligation consultation about your case. SSRI birth defect attorneys are waiting to help you get the compensation you deserve.