Lexapro Lawsuit Settlements

by Steve Fields on November 7th, 2011

Lexapro is an antidepressant used to treat depression and anxiety. If your child was affected by a birth defect caused by taking this drug during pregnancy, please contact us for the latest Lexapro lawsuit settlements news and filing deadlines. For the millions of Americans who suffer from depression, doctors often recommend a variety of treatments including medication, environmental and life style changes. Medications can jumpstart improvement, so they are frequently considered the initial step.

Lexapro was introduced in 2002, and was a derivative of another antidepressant, Celexa. Both drugs share the key compound, S enantiomers, but Lexapro is considered a more efficient form of the medication. Lexapro and Celexa are Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors, or SSRIs. These drugs, which also include popular medications like Zoloft, Paxil and Prozac, target the brain chemical serotonin, which is thought to affect mood.

Lexapro Birth Defects

Like many medications, Lexapro can cause side effects that range from mild to serious. Some people who used Lexapro experienced nausea, insomnia, shakiness, dry mouth and drowsiness. More seriously, young people who used Lexapro and other SSRIs sometimes experienced an increase in suicidal thoughts—enough so that the FDA decided that SSRIs should not be used by children, teens and young adults.

Even more concerning, studies began to emerge that linked Lexapro and other SSRIs to a wide variety of birth defects. One report revealed that women who used SSRIs during the first three months of pregnancy were twice as likely to have babies with a heart defect. These babies were born with holes in the wall that separated the left and right sides of the heart.

Another study cautioned that women who used SSRIs in the last trimester of pregnancy were six times as likely to have babies with a life-threatening breathing condition called Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn (PPHN).

Other congenital defects linked with Lexapro and other SSRIs include craniosynostosis, anal atresia, spina bifida and other neural tube defects, omphaloceles, clubfoot and cleft lip and palate.

The FDA recommends that when treating women who are both pregnant and depressed, doctors weigh the wellbeing of the depressed woman against the potential risks for the baby. This is not an easy decision because pregnant women who have untreated depression have a higher risk of delivery low birth weight and premature babies.

Lexapro Lawsuit 2011
But for families whose babies have been injured by Lexapro or another SSRI, the decisions are even more difficult. Many of these families believe that the manufacturers of these drugs should be held accountable for the damage they have caused. We are working with families to help them determine their legal options. If you have been affected by Lexapro birth defects, we encourage you to contact us to discuss your individual situation and help plan your next steps including the most recent Lexapro lawsuit settlements news and litigation updates.