Celexa Lawsuits Settlements

It’s difficult to hear that your newborn baby has a birth defect. It’s even worse to find that a medicine taken during pregnancy could be the cause. If your child developed a birth defect while using Celexa during your pregnancy, please contact us for the latest Celexa lawsuits settlements information and a free no-obligation consultation.

This is the case for many mothers who were prescribed Celexa or other antidepressants either before or during their pregnancy. Depression affects millions of Americans, and can often be treated with combined therapies, including medication.

For years, doctors have prescribed antidepressants even to women during their pregnancy. When a woman is pregnant and depressed, immediate and effective treatment of the illness is as important for the woman as it is for the baby. Doctors know that babies who are born to women with untreated depression often have a more difficult start in life. These babies may have more stress at birth, weigh less and be born prematurely.

Risks of Celexa Birth Defects

For all the benefits the antidepressants may present, they also present risks. Numerous studies have concluded that antidepressants like Wellbutrin, Prozac, Zoloft, Celexa and Paxil can cause birth defects, particularly when used at certain times during the pregnancy.

Wellbutrin and the other antidepressants work by targeting a specific chemical in the brain. Scientists believe that an imbalance of chemicals affects mood, and these medications seek to re-establish that balance. Wellbutrin targets dopamine and norepinephrine. Others target serotonin, while still others focus on a combination of chemicals.

What all of these drugs have in common is that when used by women during certain times in the pregnancy, their babies have a higher risk of being born with a structural birth defect. When taken during the early stages of pregnancy, babies are more likely to have a congenital abnormality in the heart. They may have a hole in the septal wall that separates the right and left sides of the heart, or other abnormalities like a transposition of valves or arteries.

When some of these antidepressants are taken in the third trimester, babies may be six times more likely to develop a life-threatening breathing condition. In addition, Wellbutrin and other antidepressants have been linked to a variety of other congenital abnormalities including spina bifida, craniosynostosis, omphaloceles, cleft lip and palate and clubfoot.

Nationwide Celexa Lawsuits Birth Defects Help

If you used Celexa before or during pregnancy and your child was born with a birth defect, we encourage you to contact us. We represent families who believe the manufacturers of these drugs should be held accountable for the injuries they have caused. To find out more information on Celexa lawsuits settlements, and to discuss your individual situation, call us today for a free, no-obligation consultation.