› $150,000,000 verdict in personal injury case
The risk of a fetus developing a rare but life threatening lung defect is relatively low. But if a mother takes a common class of antidepressant medication late in her pregnancy, the risk for her baby to develop the condition doubles, according to a Swedish study.
Parents of children with birth defects who were exposed to the antidepressant Zoloft during gestation are suing the drug maker claiming the mothers took the antidepressant only because they believed it to be a safe medication to take during pregnancy.
News of frustrating and sometimes serious side effects to antidepressants can be enough to motivate one to wean oneself off the medication. New reports show SSRIs have been linked to suicidal thoughts, a Parkinsons-like condition known as Tardive Dyskinesia, and serious birth defects in infants born to women who took SSRIs during pregnancy. But coming off antidepressants is not always easy and if done improperly can cause uncomfortable withdrawal effects, also known as SSRI discontinuation syndrome.
Five more suits have been filed in Pennsylvania against the makers of the antidepressant Paxil on behalf of children who have developed severe heart problems.
The parents of a two-year old boy have filed a lawsuit against the maker of Paxil, alleging that the mother’s use of the antidepressant during pregnancy cause her son to be born with severe heart defects.
