Anti-Depressant Medication and Birth Injury cases in California

Latest anti-depressant medicines were introduced in 1987. These are termed as Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs). You can buy these medications only if your doctor prescribes them to you. Basically, these medications were formulated in order to avoid depression and anxiety disorders.

However, with the passage of time, doctors started to prescribe these medicines to treat a whole host of physical and psychiatric maladies. Examples of these types of conditions include obesity, alcoholism, OCD, bulimia nervosa, posttraumatic stress disorder and borderline personality disorders.

The bulk of doctors these days tend to prescribe SSRIs. This is because they feel that these medications are safer and more effective. Aside from this, patients can tolerate these medicines more easily.

Types of SSRIs recommended by most doctors include Zoloft, Prozac, Celexa, Paxil and Lexapro.

SSRIs, usually, are safer than other types of medicines. These leave out side effects and if a medicine does have side effects, they are not serious. In very rare cases, doctors have to reduce or discontinue the dosage because of the serious condition of a patient.

However, pregnant mothers should keep away from SSRIs. This type of drug can pose serious health risks for the unborn child. So, doctors recommend pregnant women not to use this medicine.

In 2006, a study related to SSRIs and pregnancy was conducted. An advisory was issued by FDA after the results of the study was announced.

The study results were published in the New England Journal of Medicine. The study compares women who took SSRIs during the ending 4 ½ months of pregnancy with those who either took no SSRIs during pregnancy or discontinued the use of the medicine during that time.

When the results of the study was compared, it came out that pregnant women who consumed SSRIs during the last months of pregnancy were 600% more likely giving birth to a baby with Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn (PPHN). This is a birth injury case in California. This condition can cause death to the newborn baby. The newly born baby can suffer from breathing problems due to this condition.

Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn hampers the blood flow to the infant’s lungs and reduces the amount of oxygen that goes into the bloodstream of the baby. In such a situation, the baby should be taken to a hospital as soon as possible.

Aside from these, there are other non-serious complications in 20-30% of newborn babies. This includes pregnant women who consumed SSRIs during the last few months of pregnancy.

Apart from SSRIs, many other medicines have been associated with severe birth injuries. This is especially true when pregnant women take these medicines.

If your baby has received a birth injury due to the medicines prescribed by the doctor, then you may choose to take legal action against the doctor in order to recover compensation.

So, you should hire a birth injury lawyer in California. These lawyers can help you by providing legal assistance. So, you should take your time and find a good birth injury attorney in California to get justice.

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