Paxil Birth Defects - Paxil Related Birth Defect

The Potentially Devastating Effects of Paxil Birth Defects

After more than 16 years on the market, many female Paxil users are just learning of the potential threat of Paxil birth defects. For some, this information comes too late, as they have already experienced first-hand, the emotional and financial devastation of giving birth to a child that is born with Paxil birth defects. However, hope still remains for all mothers who used Paxil while pregnant, and are looking for a way to receive the compensation they are entitled to.

Paxil Birth Defects Warrant FDA Warning

In two studies that were reviewed by the FDA, women who were in the first three months of their pregnancies and took Paxil, were up to two times more likely to give birth to a heart defect baby, or a child who suffers from a growing list of Paxil birth defects.

Similar findings have also shown that women who take Paxil while pregnant are twice as likely to have babies that suffer from birth defects than women who take other selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI's), more commonly referred to as antidepressants.

Facts On Paxil Birth Defects

Research conducted by the makers of Paxil, GlaxoSmithKline, found that about 1.5 percent of babies born to women taking Paxil during pregnancy, suffered from Paxil birth defects known as atrial and ventricular septal defects.
The severity and large number of possible Paxil birth defects is alarming, so much in fact that it prompted action by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. In 2005, the agency upgraded Paxil from a "Category C" drug to a "Category D," after research showed there was a risk to pregnant women of giving birth to babies with Paxil birth defects.
Symptoms associated with Paxil birth defects may take years or even decades to appear and can include: respiratory problems, fatigue, heart palpitations, excessive swelling in the feet and legs, strokes and heart attacks.
In a response to GSK's own 2005 findings regarding Paxil birth defects, on November 29, 2006, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologist (ACOG) recommended that women who are pregnant or who plan to become pregnant should avoid the use of Paxil.
There are currently more than 600 hundred Paxil lawsuits pending in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada. Many of these cases surround Paxil birth defects.

Types Of Paxil Birth Defects

Children who are born to women who have taken Paxil while pregnant are at risk of being born with the following Paxil birth defects:

Heart defects
Craniosynostosis (malformation of the skull due to the premature closure of sutures in the head)
Persistent pulmonary hypertension (PPH)
Club feet
Omphalocele (occurs when abdominal contents protrude into the base of the umbilical cord)

Receive Legal Consultation

f you or a loved one has a child that suffers from Paxil birth defects contact Chandler, Mathis & Zivley Law Offices. Our team of prescription drug litigators is experienced in handling pharmaceutical lawsuits, including Paxil lawsuits.

Featured Article:

The Truth About Paxil Birth Defects Shocked Women Who Had Used The Drug During Pregnancy

[Posted on Oct 26]

Women who are currently using Paxil as a part of their treatment for a behavioral disorder such as depression, anxiety or stress, will be warned that if they have plans on becoming pregnant that they should stop using this medication. This is because research has been done on Paxil and other selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors that shows there’s a great risk to the fetus when the drug is used during or around the beginning of the pregnancy. Similar risks may exist with other medications that a woman could be using and that’s something that should be discussed with a doctor once the decision has been made to try and have a baby.

But when Paxil was initially released in 1992, these same warnings were not made available to patients or doctors. Not long after, some began to speculate of the possible risks these medications posed to an unborn child, which prompted a number of independent studies. The results began to confirm these suspicions and it became clear that the potential for Paxil birth defects was substantial. However, it took several more years before the makers of Paxil, GlaxoSmithKline, acknowledged these risks and that was only after the FDA took the step of reclassifying it as a Category D drug.

For over a decade women were giving birth to children with Paxil birth defects that they had no way of knowing were connected to their use of the medication, which in some cases, they were continuing to use. Once the truth about Paxil came out, these women and their families were shocked and were unsure of how to react. A common question was what responsibility did GlaxoSmithKline bear in this situation and the prevailing sentiment was that they needed to be held accountable.

Children with Paxil birth defects, which include conditions ranging from physical deformities to congenital heart diseases, require extensive medical care, something that can present monetary issues for these families. The victims that have taken the step of filing a Paxil lawsuit have been able to reduce some of the burden they’re facing as a result of these medical bills. Successful pharmaceutical lawsuits have raised awareness and given others the courage to step forward. The Law Offices of Chandler, Mathis, & Zivley, PC, provide a free legal consultation for those considering a prescription drug lawsuit against GlaxoSmithKline. They have an experienced Paxil attorney ready to offer credible guidance with no obligation.