Celexa Birth Defects – Get the Compensation That You Deserve

Wednesday, February 8th, 2012 at 10:03 am

Celexa Birth Defects

Women who took the SSRI anti-depressant Celexa while pregnant may have given birth to a child with a Celexa birth defect. SSRIs, also known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, are believed to work by balancing the chemical serotonin in the brain, but they can have catastrophic effects on a developing fetus. Although Celexa use is most dangerous after the first 20 weeks of pregnancy, there are birth defects that occur during early fetal development.

Celexa Birth Defects: Neural Tube Defects

The neural tube is the basis for development of the central nervous system, and it forms in the first weeks of gestation. Neural tube defects may result in paralysis, numbness, problems with muscle coordination and intellectual disabilities. The most severe Celexa birth defects arising from neural tube defect include a developmental failure called anencephaly where part the brain and skull fails to develop. Unfortunately, infants with Celexa birth defects involving anencephaly are usually stillborn or only live a few hours since anencephaly is always fatal.

Celexa Birth Defects: PPHN (Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension Newborn)

One of the most common Celexa birth defects, PPHN is caused when a blood vessel that supplies extra blood to the infant’s lungs during gestation fails to close after they are born. The condition is life threatening and is usually treated with surgery to close the defective blood vessel. In a healthy infant, the vessel closes within 24 hours of birth and the condition may not be immediately apparent in children with Celexa birth defects. Parents may be eligible for compensation for medical and surgical expenses related to PPHN caused by Celexa.

Celexa Birth Defects of the Heart

The most common heart defects associated with Celexa are atrial and/or ventricular septal defects and hypoplastic left heart syndrome, which is when the left side of the heart fails to develop properly, resulting in serious circulatory problems. Celexa birth defects include Shone’s Complex,which involves four heart defects that may not be diagnosed at birth. All these Celexa birth defects are considered life threatening and are usually treated with surgery to repair, or replace (heart transplant) the damaged heart. Some patients may require medication for the rest of their lives.

Other Celexa Birth Defects

Abnormalities of the esophagus, gastrointestinal tract, abdominal organs and anus are all associated with Celexa birth defects. An increased risk of cleft palate and cleft lip, club foot, limb abnormalities, spina bifida, autism and craniosynostosis, as well as a host of congenital disorders of the circulatory system, have been linked with the use of Celexa during pregnancy. Many of the conditions are life threatening and most require extensive medical and surgical treatment. Parents of a child with Celexa birth defects may be eligible for compensation for future medical expenses.

Getting Compensation for Celexa Birth Defects

If your child was exposed to Celexa in utero and suffers from a birth defect, you may be able to file a Celexa birth defects lawsuit against the makers of the drug. There are currently Celexa birth defects lawsuits pending in state and federal courts. These legal actions allege that the makers of Celexa did not properly warn users of the danger of birth defects. Other legal allegations include that the manufacturers of Celexa failed in their duty to thoroughly test the drug and do follow up studies of users, which may have discovered the connection between Celexa and birth defects sooner.

For a free compensation evaluation of your case for Celexa birth defects, fill out the short questionnaire here on our Avandia Lawsuit website.