Prozac® Birth Defects
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Since its approval by the Food and Drug Administration in 1988, Prozac® has become one of the most frequently prescribed antidepressants on the market. It belongs to a class of drugs known as selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which treat depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and eating disorders by boosting serotonin levels in the brain, resulting in the regulation of mood, sleep, and appetite.
However, concern over the safety of Prozac® and other SSRI drugs has been ongoing for more than a decade. There have been a number of studies, which reveal potential Prozac® birth defects including a 1996 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, which found that women taking Prozac® during pregnancy were at a greater risk of delivering a baby with three or more "minor anomalies" and poorer than average neonatal adaptation.
The study showed that babies who were exposed to Prozac® during the last trimester of pregnancy were over four times more likely to be born prematurely and over two times more likely to need special care compared to babies who only had early exposure.
On February 9, 2006, a new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine revealed additional Prozac® birth defects risks. The results of the study indicate a positive relationship between use of Prozac® during the third trimester of pregnancy and the risk of delivering a child with a serious Prozac® birth defect called Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn (PPHN).
Researchers at the Slone Epidemiology Center based their Prozac® birth defects study on previous research from a small cohort study, which found that fetuses exposed to Prozac® in the last trimester have an increased risk of developing respiratory complications, low muscle tone, and jitteriness. The new study set out to determine how third trimester Prozac® use correlated to the development of PPHN.
Researchers assessed 377 cases of PPHN. Fourteen of the babies that were exposed to Prozac® during the third trimester developed PPHN, while only six of the infants who were not exposed to SSRI drugs developed the condition. The study concludes that women taking Prozac® during their third trimester are two times more likely to give birth to a baby with PPHN than women in the general population. The study also indicated the problem seemed unique to Prozac® and was not characteristic of all SSRIs. Additionally, the risk of Prozac® birth defects were increased only with third trimester use of the drug, taking Prozac® in the first and second trimesters do not appear to increase the risk.
PPHN is a rare, but potentially fatal condition, which arises in the first hours or days of life, when a newborn's respiratory system has difficulty adapting to the outside world. In a baby with PPHN, blood flow bypasses the lungs, building pressure and causing poorly oxygenated blood to pump through the heart and out to the other tissues of the body. PPHN is associated with a significant mortality rate. Ten to 20 percent of affected babies will not survive despite treatment . Those who do survive often require extensive medical care to fully recover.
If you used Prozac® during your pregnancy and your child developed PPHN, we would like the opportunity to evaluate your case. You may be eligible to seek compensation for your pain and suffering, medical bills, and more. Our attorneys have a wealth of experience handling similar cases and are prepared to protect your legal rights and interests. Contact us today to speak with an attorney FREE OF CHARGE or to learn more information on Prozac® birth defects.
