Representing families with a child affected by Prozac birth defects after taking this SSRI antidepressant drug during pregnancy and representing families with an infant who developed birth defects in filing a Prozac lawsuit. Currently individual cases are being filed throughout the United States and no nationwide Prozac class action lawsuit has been filed.
Recently, more families have become aware that the SSRI drug Prozac which is prescribed to both men and women to treat depression has been associated with serious birth defects problems when taken by women while pregnant. Many women of childbearing age have taken antidepressant medications such as Prozac during pregnancy. These medications are collectively referred to as serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).
These antidepressant drugs have a number of different potentially serious and permanent side effects that can affect the unborn infant including an elevated risk of premature birth, breathing problems, gastrointestinal side effects and motor problems. The exact degree of risk of Prozac birth defects is currently unknown, however the risk of developing complications has been reported in babies following use of these types of SSRI medications. Women using this drug while pregnant can potentially expose their unborn child to the drug while still in the womb leading to the development of a Prozac birth defect in certain situations.
Prozac Birth Defects May Include:
• PPHN (persistent pulmonary hypertension)
• Abdominal Birth Defects
• Heart Birth Defects
• Cranial Birth Defects
The Food and Drug Administration in 2004 announced a warning against the use of certain antidepressants for women in the late third trimester of pregnancy. The warning stated that doctors may want to gradually taper pregnant women off antidepressant medications in the third trimester so that the baby is not adversely affected. After a woman delivers, she should consult with her doctor to decide whether to return to a full dose of the antidepressant medication during the period when she is most vulnerable to problems such as postpartum depression.
In 2006, the Food and Drug Administration issued a safety alert for the public outlining the increased risk of persistent pulmonary hypertension (PPHN) which is a serious and life-threatening lung condition that occurs soon after a child is born. The warning covered Prozac along with other SSRI type antidepressant drugs. The Prozac product labeling was also updated to include additional information regarding a study that suggested exposure to the medication early in the first trimester of pregnancy may be associated with an elevated risk of Prozac birth defects involving cardiac complications.
The Prozac lawsuits claim that the drug manufacturer was negligent in several ways including but not limited to:
- Represented that Prozac caused minimal side effects while knowing that the drug causes birth defects far more frequently than represented
- Had actual knowledge through studies, that using Prozac during pregnancy increased the risk of birth defects
- Had actual knowledge that the risk of Prozac birth defects in women who used the drug during their pregnancy had a greater than disclosed risk in packaging warnings for Paxil
- Failed to investigate the accuracy of its Prozac label once it became aware of signals indicating a safety issue
- Failed to monitor all relevant scientific literature related to Prozac side effects
- Failed to conduct and report post market safety surveillance on Paxil
- Prozac was not reasonably safe as designed because the foreseeable risks involved in its use outweighed the therapeutic benefits of the drug
If your child has suffered from Prozac birth defects please contact us for a free no-obligation case review. We are currently investigating individual cases for families involving a Prozac birth defect that occurred after using this antidepressant drug. For the latest news and updates and information on filing a Prozac lawsuit birth defects claim please call or e-mail us today. There is currently no national Prozac class action lawsuit covering all cases in the United States.
