Millions of patients have turned to Celexa (generic: citalopram) in an attempt to alleviate their depressive tendencies. More specifically, Celexa is an antidepressant that was developed to treat chronic depression and generalized anxiety when other medications have already failed to do so. However, using Celexa for a prolonged period of time may result in catastrophic side effects. Children born to mothers who took Celexa during pregnancy may have an increased risk of developing a distinct set of severe, life-threatening birth defects.
If you or a loved one has given birth to a child with birth defects that you feel may be the result of taking Celexa during pregnancy, you should contact our lawyersimmediately for a free confidential case evaluation. You may be entitled to compensation for your injuries and we can help.
Celexa Lawsuit Overview
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the use of Celexa on July 17, 1998. At that time, Forest Laboratories introduced Celexa to the U.S. market as an antidepressant medication that promised to alleviate the symptoms associated with depression. Unique ingredients found in Celexa act to regulate chemicals in the brain that affect to the mood of an individual.
Citalopram, the active ingredient found in Celexa, is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI). As an SSRI, citalopram is believed to influence specific aspects of an individual’s mood by increasing the ratio of serotonin in the brain. While the chemical reactions associated with mood disorders remain ambiguous, it is widely recognized that chemical messengers (neurotransmitters) facilitate communication between nerve cells in the brain and are involved in regulating many aspects of behavior. Subsequently, these neurotransmitters have a significant role in the development of mood disorders. Therefore, SSRIs are specifically designed to block the reabsorption of serotonin in the brain. In doing so, larger amounts of serotonin are able to stimulate nerve cells and influence the mood of an individual.
Unfortunately, the pharmacodynamics of Celexa may also be responsible for a variety of congenital birth defects with varying degrees of severity. Pregnant women who receive Celexa treatment may significantly increase their risk of giving birth to a child with distinct set of severe, life-threatening anatomical defects. Due to the severity in which these birth defects harm children, patients may contact a Celexa lawyer at The Senators (Ret.) Firm, LLP for a free case evaluation of their potential Celexa lawsuit.
Celexa Birth Defects
The following birth defects are currently under critical evaluation regarding potential Celexa lawsuits:
- Atrial Septal Defects
- Ventricular Septal Defects
- Ebstein’s Anomaly
- Mitral Valve Defects
- Transposition of the Great Arteries
- Tetralogy of Fallot
- Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS)
- Hypoplastic Right Heart Syndrome (HRHS)
- Tricuspid Valve Stenosis
- Tricuspid Atresia
- Aortic Stenosis
- Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA)
- Coarctation of the Aorta
- Truncus Arteriosus
- Heart Murmur
- Pulmonary Stenosis
- Pulmonary Atresia
- Gastroschisis – abdominal wall defect
- Esophageal Stenosis
- Esophageal Atresia
- Clubfoot
- Anal Atresia
- Spina Bifida
- Heart Malformations
- Neural Tube Defects
- Hypoplasia
- Hydranencephaly
- Anencephaly
- Hand Deformations
- Cleft Lip
- Cleft Palate
- Fetal Death
- Growth Restriction
- Iniencephaly
- Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn (PPHN)
- Craniosynostosis
- Hypospadias
- Mental Retardation
- Omphalocele
- Encephalocele
- Down’s Syndrome
- Dandy Walker Syndrome
- Undescended Testicles
- Cloacal Exstrophy
- Hydronephrosis
Do to the severity of these birth defects, families may seek compensation for their pain and suffering by filing a Celexa lawsuit.
SSRI Antidepressant Study
As discovered in a recent study published on February 9, 2006, in the New England Journal of Medicine, women who had been treated with antidepressant drugs that act as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI’s) may introduce additional risks during pregnancy. This study focused on newborn babies with persistent pulmonary hypertension (PPHN), a condition in which a serious and life-threatening lung condition occurs soon after birth of the newborn. Babies with PPHN have high pressure in their lung blood vessels and are not able to get enough oxygen into their bloodstream. About 1 to 2 babies per 1000 babies born in the U.S. develop PPHN shortly after birth, and often they need intensive medical care. In this study PPHN was six times more common in babies whose mothers took an SSRI antidepressant after the 20th week of the pregnancy compared to babies whose mothers did not take an antidepressant. Do to the severity of these birth defects, families may file a Celexa lawsuit.
According to a similar study published in the British Medical Journal, women who take SSRI antidepressants late in pregnancy are two times more likely to give birth to a child with persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn.
FDA Antidepressant Warning
In 2004, the FDA issued a warning pertaining to the use of certain antidepressants in women who are, or may become pregnant. The warning stated that doctors may want to taper expecting mothers off antidepressant medications in the third trimester to reduce the risk of congenital birth defects. However, recent studies suggest that women treating depression with SSRI’s like Celexa as early as the first trimester of pregnancy may still have an impact on the unborn child. Unfortunately, this means many women may be unaware that they are pregnant while on a prescribed Celexa treatment regiment. As a result, women may be unintentionally subjecting their child to these unnecessary risks of congenital birth defects. These risks have caused numerous people to file a Celexa lawsuit against Forest Laboratories.
Do I Have a Celexa Lawsuit?
The trial lawyers at The Senators (Ret.) Firm, LLP have decades of experience navigating through complex legislative and regulatory issues and litigating high stakes cases all over the nation. Our law firm focuses on the representation of plaintiffs in Celexa lawsuits. We are currently accepting new cases in all 50 states.
Again, if you or a loved one has given birth to a child with birth defects that you feel may be the result of taking Celexa during pregnancy, you should contact our lawyers immediately by clicking the link below or calling toll free 1-(949) 557-5800. You may be entitled to compensation for your injuries and we can help.