SSRI Birth Defects

SSRI Birth Defects: Types

SSRI Birth Defects May Range from Heart Abnormalities to Cranial Defects

Types of SSRI birth defects which may result from antidepressant use in pregnancy can reportedly range from minor to life-threatening. SSRI birth defects can reportedly vary from harmless heart murmurs to hypoplastic left heart syndrome, a congenital cardiac condition which is fatal if left untreated. SSRI birth defects are not limited to cardiac defects, however, as abdominal and skull abnormalities have also reportedly been linked to use of SSRIs in pregnant women and may result in serious health problems for the child.

If you took Zoloft, Lexapro, Paxil or another antidepressant during pregnancy and delivered a child with SSRI birth defects, you may be entitled to compensation. There is a strict time limit for filing SSRI birth defect claims, so contact us today for a free, no obligation review of your claim.

SSRI Cardiac Defects

In December 2005, the FDA issued a public health advisory that infants exposed to Paxil, a type of SSRI, during pregnancy may have an increased risk of delivering children with SSRI heart defects. Ventricular septal defects (VSD) and atrial septal defects (ASD), also known as holes in the heart, were the most common cardiac SSRI birth defects reported. However, our SSRI birth defects lawyers are also reviewing claims from women who took Zoloft, Paxil, Prozac, Celexa, Lexapro and similar drugs while pregnant and delivered children with the following cardiac problems:

• Tetralogy of fallot: Occuring when four types of heart defects are present at once, a tetralogy of fallot interferes with the heart's ability to supply the body with oxygenated blood.
• Coarctation of the aorta: The aorta is the largest artery in the body, stemming directly off the heart. A coarctation of the aorta is a narrowing of this artery, which impedes the flow of oxygenated blood.
• Transposition of the great arteries: The "great arteries" are the aorta and the pulmonary artery. When they are transposed, or switched, they do not function properly.
• Hypoplastic left heart syndrome: When the left side of the heart is underdeveloped, it is known as hypoplastic left heart syndrome. This causes complications that deprive the body of oxygen-rich blood.

Antidepressants Linked to Birth Defects

Cardiac problems are not the only types of defects linked to the use of SSRIs during pregnancy. Omphalocele, a condition in which the infant's intestines protrude through the naval, has also been reported in pregnant women taking SSRI antidepressants during pregnancy. In addition, craniosynostosis, a skull defect which causes an abnormally shaped head, has also been linked to SSRI use in pregnancy. Other SSRI birth defects can reportedly include spina bifida and club foot.

SSRI Lawsuits

SSRI lawsuits may be an option for women who took Zoloft, Lexapro, Paxil, Celexa or Prozac during pregnancy and delivered children with SSRI birth defects. Because the manufacturer may have failed to properly warn patients of the risk of SSRI birth defects, these women may be able to file a legal claim seeking compensation for medical bills and other damages resulting from their child's injuries. To find out if you qualify for an SSRI birth defects lawsuit, complete our no risk, no obligation case review form today.