Effexor and Pregnancy

The findings of the National Birth Defects Prevention Study (NBDPS) reported strong association between the use of Effexor and the occurrence of various devastating birth defects including the following conditions:

This serious birth defect prevents the normal development of the brain. The baby is born with large parts of the brain and skull missing. According to the National Institute of Health, there is no known treatment for Anencephaly and the baby dies within a few days after birth.

ASD is a condition that causes holes in the heart and hampers normal blood circulation. The baby may have to undergo surgery to treat this defect.

Aortic coarctation is characterized by the narrowing of the blood vessel which supplies blood from the heart to the rest of the body. Symptoms may develop right after birth or the defect may not be diagnosed until adulthood. In either case, the treatment involves a surgical procedure.

It's a facial malformation which prevents the tissue that makes up the roof of the mouth (palate) from joining properly. The baby is born with front or/and back part of the palate open. This condition interferes with the child's feeding, breathing, and speech development.

It is a type of hernia in which the baby's intestines extend out of the body due to a defect in the umbilical cord. Gastroschisis can also cause breathing difficulties and bowel infarction that can cause death if immediate surgical intervention does not happen.

A study published in American Journal of Psychiatry evaluated the safety of the use of Effexor during pregnancy. The study revealed that women who were exposed to Effexor were at a higher risk of spontaneous abortions as compared to the women in the control group.

In 2012, a couple from Illinois filed a lawsuit against the manufacturer of Effexor in Pennsylvania Eastern District Court. They alleged that the prescription of the drug to the pregnant mother caused their daughter to be born with a serious heart condition known as Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome, which causes the left heart side of the heart to remain underdeveloped. The family accused Wyeth of not warning consumers about the potential dangers associated with Effexor-related treatment.

Another lawsuit was filed against Wyeth Pharmaceuticals in 2012. The plaintiffs claimed that their daughter Adelaide was born with severe birth defects as a result of exposure to Effexor and died a few hours after birth. She suffered from an improperly formed aorta and mitral valve.

If your child was born with a birth defect that has been associated with the use of Effexor, you should immediately contact a lawyer who specializes in Effexor birth defect lawsuits. Depending on your case, the lawyer will determine if you are eligible to file a lawsuit against the drug manufacturer and claim compensation for the pain and suffering caused as well as the expenses incurred during the course of the treatment special arrangements afterwrds.