SSRI ANTI-DEPRESSANTS CAUSE BIRTH DEFECTS

SSRIs are a class of antidepressant drug. These SSRI drugs are the most common way to treat depression in our society and include:

•Prozak,

•Cirpralex,

•Paxil,

•Lexapro

•Zoloft

•Symbyax

SSRI drugs cause Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of Newborns

The FDA has recently acknowledged several new studies finding a causal connection between the use of SSRI drugs in mothers during their pregnancy and a six-fold increase in PPHN among neonates. Persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN) occurs immediately at birth when a newborn attempts to take their first breath. In healthy babies, their blood pressure drops and increases blood flow to the lungs. Carbon dioxide and oxygen are exchanged and the oxygenated blood is delivered throughout the body. The ductus arteriosus constricts and permanently closes. In babies with PPHN, however, the pressure in the lungs never drops and the ductus arterious remains open, causing the baby to become oxygen starved.

These most recent findings cited by the FDA show that infants exposed to SSRI drugs are 6 times as likely to develop persistent pulmonary hypertension (PPHN). This recent 2011 FDA warning added to their 2006 findings from previous studies that infants of mothers taking SSRI drugs during pregnancy experience breathing difficulties (PPHN) and increased risk of cardiac birth defects.

Contact the New York PPHN lawyers at The Law Offices of Jason W. Stern & Associates

The PPHN lawyers at The Law offices of Jason W. Stern & Associates are dedicated to helping families who have infants with Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn (PPHN), sometimes called “Persistent Fetal Circulation.” We work hard to educate and increase awareness of the dangers of SSRI drugs and their causal relation to birth defects. If you would like to speak to an SSRI attorney about starting a lawsuit please contact Jason W. Stern at (718) 261-2444.