Effexor Birth Injury Lawyer Outlines Reported Link Between Antidepressant, Brain Injury in Newborns

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“Endanger the life of your yet-to-born child or put it to the risk of life-long injuries.” This is what an Effexor birth injury lawyer sums up when describing about the risk of antidepressant ingestion during pregnancy. Pregnant women are anxious over use of the SSRI antidepressant, as research studies have warned of brain malformations and other birth defects in newborns.

Dozens of Effexor birth defect lawsuits have been filed in the last one year alleging that “the medication is defective, dangerous to human health, unfit and unsuitable to be marketed for dangers associated, such as medical suffering, disability, disfigurement, impairment of working ability, mental anguish, and need for constant medical care attributed to the manufacturer’s failure to warn, design defect, negligent design, fraud, breach of warranty, and gross negligence.”

Effexor Birth Defect Brain Injuries

One in every five children is likely to born with “Chiari type 1” brain malformations following exposure to serotonin-inhibitor antidepressants during pregnancy. The brain defect risk was first discovered by North Carolina University scholars and was subsequently reported in Neuropsychopharmacology journal (May 2014). These malformations in the cerebellum “impact balance, coordination, muscle movement and cognitive functions while squeezing out the spinal canal.” Children with such deformity are likely to “fall down a lot, walk unusually, have trouble grasping items, or have poor hand-eye coordination and suffer from neck or chest pain, headaches, choking, difficulty speaking, numbness, depression, development delays, and vision distortions.”
According to a report in the Pediatrics journal, Effexor antidepressant birth defects in children result in growth and development problems such as inability to speak or walk compared to normal babies. The report also highlighted the potential risk of withdrawal syndrome in children exposed to SSRI drugs during prior to birth.
A 2013 report in the British Medical Journal highlighted serious Effexor birth defect risks, including anencephaly, cranial defects, vertebra deformities, and seizures. Derived from English and Swedish findings, the journal claimed that babies born following ingestion of Effexor by their mothers had two-time greater risk of autism spectrum disorders.
The Archives of General Psychiatry published a report in 2011 that also cited autism risk in babies due to antidepressant pregnancy side effects. Our Effexor attorney has evaluated several instances where the drug caused children to born with “communication inability, attention disorders, self-absorption, and behavioral problems.”
According to the FDA alert in 2004, Effexor pregnancy exposure may lead to neonatal behavioral syndrome in newborns.
It is common for an Effexor birth injury lawyer to come across plaintiff claims of severe neurological disorders, sleep disorders, underdeveloped brain, and related cranial disorders that are attested by experts as possible Effexor pregnancy side effects.

Effexor Birth Defect Lawsuit: Other Side Effects

Fatal lung defect in newborns
Neural tube and vertebra defects
Hypoplastic heart syndrome
Heart valve and septal defects
Spina bifida
Malformations impacting anus and abdomen
Clubfoot and other physical deformities
Cleft lip and palate

Effexor attorneys are evaluating hundreds of potential product liability claims against Pfizer and Wyeth for their “failure to adequately warn or remedy the risks, but instead concealed, suppressed and failed to disclose birth defect dangers associated with antidepressant side effects that resulted in suffering, disability, and disfigurement of newborns.”

To know about the process for filing and pursuing defective medical device product liability claims demanding financial and non-financial damages, please call on 1-800-632-1404 or contact our expert Effexor birth injury lawyer.

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If your child was born with a birth defect and you or a loved one took Zoloft during the first trimester or pregnancy, please contact us immediately.

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NOTE: Our team of attorneys will review potential cases for all fifty states, including Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin and Wyoming.

March 2, 2015

Effexor Attorney Highlights Heart Birth Defect Risk Linked To Antidepressant

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The first Effexor lawsuit filed in 2012 was a sordid tale of agony and suffering that no mother ever likes to have even in her wildest dream. When Ohio resident Lauren Boyer began taking the antidepressant, her primary concern was to save the baby in her womb from mental depression she was going through. According to her Effexor attorney, she was “overjoyed to learn that they would be having a baby girl, who they named Adelaide; however, shortly after taking her first breath on February 11, 2010, it was discovered that Adelaide suffered lethal cardiac anomalies, including severe left hypoplastic heart, a malformed aorta, no aortic value, a malformed mitral valve and other related conditions.”

The infant died due to fatal birth defects that her parents linked to Effexor antidepressant pregnancy side effects. The product liability litigation has sought strict liability on 17 counts, including design defect, fraud and misrepresentation, and failure to warn.”

Effexor Birth Defect Leads To Open Heart Surgery in Six-Month Old

A six-month old boy had open heart surgery following antidepressant side effects, claims another Effexor birth defects filed by an Arizona mother. The son was born with “valve defects, aortic stenosis, and other cardiac complications” following ingestion of the antidepressant drug by his mother during pregnancy. Doctors performed “cardiac catheterization and a valvuloplasty” when he was just four-day old, but the complications continued to endanger his life and insertion of “an artificial pulmonary valve through required open heart surgery” at the age of six months, claims the Effexor attorney representing the family.

The boy also has many minor and major heart stabilization procedures, including a second heart surgery at the age of four, till date. Experts monitoring the boy have advised for a transplant to prevent periodic surgeries to replace heart valves. According to the Effexor birth defect lawsuit, parents came to know about link between Effexor pregnancy side effects and the condition of their son in 2012, after research studies and lawsuits highlighted similar events.

Effexor Birth Injury Lawsuit for Heart Defects

The major Effexor heart defects reported so far, by both parents and researchers, include the following types of injuries.

Neonatal cardiac complications leading to circulatory distress and frequent hospitalization
Hypoplastic heart syndrome caused by underdeveloped left ventricle and requiring surgical intervention.
Persistent pulmonary hypertension or failure of blood circulation to reach the lungs
Absence or malformation of aorta that severely compromise the infants’ ability to keep on circulatory mechanism.
Fallot syndrome, a factor leading to blue baby syndrome, heart murmur, and low blood-oxygen level, caused by septal defects.
Valve defect or mitral valve deformities requiring open-heart surgery to implant pulmonary valves and replace them with the growth in age.
Pulmonary stenosis and atresia that results in pulmonary hypertension and circulatory obstructions leading to serious heart disorders in newborns.
Septal and ventral defects, commonly known as heart hole, impact circulatory pressure, blood flow, and heart functions.

Most of these Effexor heart defects require the children to undergo surgical intervention within days or months of their birth to survive. Despite surgeries, the quality of life of children born with these heart defects due to Effexor intake by mothers while pregnant are severely compromised and they face recurrent cardiovascular problems linked to congenital birth defects.

Effexor Birth Injury Heart Defects: Research Studies

Independent researchers have highlighted 40% more risk of Effexor birth injury if the antidepressant is used until the 12^th week of pregnancy. The newborns, in such a scenario, are 60 percent more likely to be diagnosed with heart defects.

Effexor, considered by many as a safer antidepressant alternative, has been linked to serious heart defects in children born to pregnant women using the medication. The SNRI drug introduced by Wyeth in 1993 and subsequently acquired by Pfizer is subject to hundreds of litigations for causing infant birth injuries, disability, cardiac abnormalities, lung defects, neural tube and brain abnormalities, fatal heart conditions, and death through prenatal exposure.

A British Medical Journal report has warned of two-fold higher risk of heart defects in newborns when exposed to Effexor during the first pregnancy trimester. While researchers identified septal defects as common Effexor birth injury heart problem, they also alerted that using more than one antidepressant may double the risk to four-fold.

Danish researchers claim that infants are likely to have potential congenital injuries, including heart defects, even when the antidepressant is taken by women within a month prior to her conception. According to the report, the risk increases with the progress in pregnancy.

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December 12, 2014

Effexor Attorney: How Fatal Antidepressant Birth Defect Side Effects Are?

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How safe is it to use antidepressant during pregnancy? Talk to an Effexor attorney to know how women taking antidepressant drugs are/were fighting hard to save their children instead of enjoying the bliss of motherhood. Since 2005, there have been numerous research studies citing the serious risk of Effexor birth defects. Even the FDA had warned of potential birth injuries to newborns when antidepressants used by expectant mothers.

Effexor Birth Defects: The Fear Factor

Serious lung disorder
Heart defects, such as hypoplastic heart, septal flaws, valve problems, etc.
Brain and cranial defects, including anencephaly, chiari malformations
Autism and delays in growth and development
Deformities in neural tube
Spina bifida, vertebra and anus malformations
Neurological disorders
Cleft lip and palate, clubfoot

Effexor Antidepressant and Pregnancy: The Reality

Women taking Effexor or other SNRI and SSRI antidepressants unintentionally put their unborn babies at the risk of life-threatening birth defects in the absence of any information on such potential side effects by the manufacturer. A Mississippi woman gave birth to a girl child with heart defects and persistent pulmonary hypertension. Doctors categorized the newborn as an “Effexor baby” or those born with such injuries due to prenatal exposure to the SNRI antidepressant. The child, who remained in neonatal intensive care and had surgeries soon after the birth, requires life-long medical care now to live a normal life.

The mother took Effexor for five months until she gave birth to her daughter. Her Effexor attorney claims that “the drug is unreasonably dangerous/defective drug as specified by Mississippi law due to (Pfizer’s) failure to adequately warn patients and their physicians and the manufacturer acted with gross negligence which evidences a willful, wanton or reckless disregard for the safety of others, entitling both mother and daughter to punitive damages.”

An Ohio woman has filed an Effexor lawsuit saying that “the medication is defective, dangerous to human health, unfit and unsuitable to be marketed and sold in commerce and lacked proper warnings as to the dangers associated with its use.” She ingested antidepressant regularly while she was pregnant and came to know about its horrific side effects only after her son was born with atrial septal flaw and other cardiac birth defects. Her Effexor lawyer asserts that the child had congenital deformities as the manufacturer failed to list “about any birth defects and other serious pregnancy issues associated with the use of Effexor or emphasized within the Effexor prescribing information and/or drug label, which make many to believe that Effexor was safe for use during pregnancy and would not cause birth defects.”

Effexor Birth Defect Research: Reports Highlight Concern

Six-time higher risk of persistent pulmonary hypertension (lung disorder), New England Journal of Medicine, 2006
Two-fold risk of post-delivery hemorrhage and birth defects, British Medical Journal, August 2013
Severe heart defects and deformities in newborns, British Medical Journal, 2009
Delayed growth and development of children, speaking, walking, and sitting problems, Pediatrics Journal, March 2010
Effexor birth defect risk, American Academy of Pediatrics Advisory, 2012

Effexor Birth Defect Lawsuit

Thousands of parents have lost their children or trying hard to ensure a normal life for them because “Pfizer and Wyeth took no action to adequately warn or remedy the risks, but instead concealed, suppressed and failed to disclose birth defect dangers” associated with Effexor. This mistake on the part of manufacturers forced parents and children suffer from life-long grief, pain, and economic losses.

Women or children subject to “suffering, disability, disfigurement, impairment of working ability, mental anguish, loss of enjoyment, and constant medical care” due to “manufacturer’s failure to warn, design defect, negligence, negligent design, fraud, breach of warranty, gross negligence, and violation of Consumer Sales Practices Acts” are at liberty to file Effexor product liability lawsuits.

An Effexor birth defect MDL has been created under Pennsylvania federal Judge Cynthia Rufe for pretrial consolidation of similar lawsuits. The first trial is expected to be held in November 2015.

To know about the process for filing Effexor lawsuit and pursue defective medical device product liability claims for financial and non-financial damages citing drug maker’s actions and inactions, please contact us or call on 1-800-632-1404.

Contact an Effexor Birth Defect Lawyer Today.

If your child was born with a birth defect and you or a loved one took Zoloft during the first trimester or pregnancy, please contact us immediately.

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November 21, 2014

Court Permits Direct Filing of Effexor Birth Defect Lawsuit

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In a big relief for parents seeking to file Effexor birth defect lawsuits, the US federal court for Pennsylvania Eastern District, which handles the pretrial consolidation, have allowed direct filing into the MDL pool. Judge Cynthia M. Rufe issued the ruling with certain conditions considering that plaintiffs had almost identical claims and discovery proceedings and such a measure would mitigate time and resources lost in filing at other courts and transferring them later.

In 2013, the panel for federal multidistrict litigation ordered transferring of all Effexor birth defect lawsuits filed against Pfizer and its subsidiary Wyeth to the Eastern District Court of Pennsylvania. Judge Rufe was selected to preside over the pretrial consolidation of nine initial litigations, which has been expanded by almost 10 times in the last one year and likely to be increased manifold as Effexor attorneys busy reviewing thousands of potential lawsuits alleging antidepressant side effects on unborn children.

The centralization was aimed at accelerating the litigation process by reducing duplicative discovery and time-consuming processes and ending any chance of conflicting rulings while making expert witness deposition more convenient. November 2, 2015 is tentatively selected as the date for the first bellwether trial of federal Effexor birth defect lawsuits.

New Effexor Birth Defect Lawsuit Order Set Conditions

According to the ruling dated September 2, 2014, the court permitted the entry of Effexor claims for birth defect injuries “to promote judicial efficiency” and subject to the following conditions.

Every claim filed into MDL directly should be a “single-plaintiff complaint” filed by an individual alone or with his family members for himself or on behalf of a deceased person.
One claim per child born with birth defects linked to Effexor exposure is allowed.
No multi-plaintiff complaint is allowed for direct filing without court approval.
All direct-filed Effexor litigations must comply with the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.
The lawsuit is required to give details, including

Details of specific defendants named in the litigation
Information on products blamed for birth defect
Date of birth of the child born with birth defect
If applicable, date of death of the child born with birth defect

Effexor Birth Defects

Heart defect: Hypoplastic heart syndrome, septal defects, valve problem, ventricular disorder
Respiratory defect: PPHN or Persistent Pulmonary hypertension, circulatory distress, acute long failure
Cranial defect: Skull deformities, Chiari Type 1 malformations, neural tube defects, underdeveloped brain
Physical defect: Anus deformities, vertebra defect, cleft palate, other bodily deformities
Neurological defect: Autism, disoriented development, failure to match growth milestones

Effexor Birth Defect Lawsuits

Several research reports and Effexor lawsuit have linked the antidepressant ingestion during pregnancy to birth defects in newborns. Marketed as the safest antidepressant, the drug is now put in the class of SSRI and SNRI drugs that pose serious threat to fetal development when taken by pregnant women. The recurring reports of children born with malformations, heart defects, PPHN and potential developmental delays associated with Effexor therapy, pregnant mothers are in quandary over balancing their mental health and preventing any impact on their unborn child.

Effexor attorneys representing plaintiffs filed in the recent years share allegations that Pfizer and Wyeth were aware of pregnancy side effects the drug, but did not release the data to ensure commercial gains. This led pregnant women to consider the drug safe and ingest it to treat their depression, which could have impacted the child in the womb. However, the antidepressant had its own side effects in the form of birth defects in children born to such mothers.

If your child is a victim of Effexor birth defect and you are willing pursue defective medical device product liability lawsuit seeking financial damages, please contact our experienced Effexor attorneys or call on 1-800-632-1404 for a free consultation.

Contact an Effexor Birth Defect Lawyer Today.

If your child was born with a birth defect and you or a loved one took Zoloft during the first trimester or pregnancy, please contact us immediately.

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February 6, 2014

Effexor Birth Defect Lawsuits and Side Effects Exposed

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Effexor Birth Injury Lawsuit: Antidepressant Side Effects Exposed

Lawsuits are being filed for Effexor Birth Injuries. A Texas couple has sought an undisclosed amount in damages from Pfizer claiming that its antidepressant medication Pfizer was responsible for causing birth defects in their daughter. The Effexor birth injury lawsuit filed by them in a federal court describes the antidepressant as imperfect and unsafe for pregnant women. According to the couple, their daughter was born with serious congenital defects because of the use of Effexor by the mother while she was pregnant. The child has undergone several surgeries to treat her severe heart defect and is expected to have more surgeries in the future to keep her heart free from life-threatening problems.

Another couple lost their daughter to Effexor birth defect side effects within two months of her birth. The mother had a history of family depression and she was prescribed Effexor to treat her condition. Even she was on the medication when got pregnant as her consulting doctor was not sure if there was any scientific evidence linking Effexor side effects on the fetus. When the mother experienced premature labor, the hospital staff prepared themselves for “an Effexor baby” after discovering that she was on the medication. The couple learned about the hazard of Effexor birth injuries from the staff.

The newborn daughter had many birth defects, including circulatory problems, and she spent most of her two-month life in hospitals. On her last day, she suddenly stopped breathing. Though she was revived by doctors, oxygen deprivation had already damaged her brain to a great extent and she succumbed to the condition.

Effexor birth defects have played havoc with many families that have taken recourse to litigations against Pfizer, holding it responsible for the death and injuries of their children. There were about 1,000 Effexor birth injury complaints to the FDA in the last few years. The figures included 208 cases of congenital heart defects, over 100 instances of abortion, and about 250 other birth injuries in newborns.

Major Effexor Birth Defect Side Effects

Fatal lung disorder known as persistent pulmonary hypertension
Life-threatening heart defects
Cranial defects and underdeveloped brain
Congenital neural-tube, abdominal, skull, septum wall, cardiac, and anus deformities
Cleft lip and palate
Delay in growth and mental development

The FDA has categorized Effexor antidepressant as a category C medication, which cautions pregnant users of potential birth injuries in children born to them. Health Canada has gone a step ahead with a public alert, informing users of risks related to pregnancy. In 2012, the American Academy of Pediatrics issued a similar Effexor birth defect advisory for expectant mothers.

A 2009 report in the British Medical Journal warned of two-time increased risk of heart defects in newborns because of prenatal Effexor side effects. Earlier another report in the New England Journal of Medicine highlighted a six-time higher risk of persistent pulmonary hypertension in newborns because of Effexor crossing through placenta.

Effexor Lawsuits

If you have been a victim of Effexor birth defects or your child has suffered from such injuries caused by the antidepressant side effects, consult an Effexor attorney with a reputation in fighting personal injury cases to evaluate your claim. Hundreds of plaintiffs have already filed Effexor birth injury lawsuits, alleging that nondisclosure of pregnancy side effects by the manufacturer was responsible for destroying the life of their children.

If you or a loved one took Effexor and a child was born with birth defects,please fill out the form to the right or call us so that we can provide you with forms to evaluate your potential case immediately.

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January 26, 2014

Effexor May Cause Health Risks to Unborn Babies

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Health Risks, And Potential Injuries, Associated With Taking Effexor

Many people all around the world suffer from depression. Whether it is a chronic condition or a temporary condition brought on by an intense event, there are many ways that doctors attempt to treat the condition. There are many various medications that are out on the market today that are intended to help with the treatment of depression. Some of them are more helpful than others. Some of the depression medications end up having worse side effects and risks to personal injuries than the depression was initially causing. It is important to consult with a physician about the potential risks to your health and personal injury that are associated with the type of depression medication that you are prescribed. You have to understand the risks fully before you consume the potentially risky medication.

Medications that alter one’s state of mind are often a risky investment in and of themselves due to the nature of the medication. No matter how well tested the product is, there is no way to judge how every individual is going to react from the use of the product. There are always variables that affect the stability and results of the product. One of the types of depression medication that can cause serious side effects, or potential injury, is the depression medication known as Effexor. This type of depression medication has been known to cause minor side effects, as well as more serious conditions including convulsions and seizures, itching or skin rash, fainting or fatigue, menstrual changes, challenges with urination, lack of control of emotions, difficulty breathing, abnormal dreams, paranoia, and even illusions of suicide.

These are some serious side effects that can occur during the use of Effexor and can continue after the cessation of the use of this product. Consult with a physician before use of this product and take care when discontinuing use of the product.

Minor Side Effects

Some people only experience minor side effects from the use of Effexor. Some of the minor side effects include changes in vision, such as blurred vision on a regular basis, headaches, high blood pressure, chest pain, fast or irregular heartbeat, mood or mental changes, and ringing or buzzing in the ears. These are all minor side effects and can usually be eliminated by the cessation of the use of this depression medication.

Convulsions Or Seizures

Some people suffer from more serious and complicated side effects or injuries from the use of the depression medication known as Effexor. One of the bigger side effects from using this depression medication is the experience of convulsions or seizures. If you or someone you know is experiencing convulsions or seizures while taking Effexor, then you must contact a physician immediately. It is ill advised to stop taking the medication abruptly. You must wean yourself off of the drug in order to eliminate the risk of further physical and mental complications .

Fainting Or Fatigue

Fainting or general fatigue is a side effect of taking Effexor that will greatly complicate the healing process of working with depression. People who suffer from depression often times have major difficulty with energy and functioning in their every day lives. Therefore, adding the side effect of fainting and fatigue can ultimately complicate their depression even further.

Menstrual Changes

Some women who have taken Effexor have reported changes in their menstrual cycle. Whether it is missing a cycle, or having irregular bleeding during the month, there are implications that can complicate life in general if the menstrual cycle is thrown off balance. If you are woman who is or has taken Effexor and your cycle is changing or effected by the use of this product then you have to get feedback from a medical professional. Remember it is ill advised to remove yourself from the use of Effexor. You must be weaned off of the product safely.

Challenges With Urination

The challenges that patients face in regards to urination in reference to the use of Effexor vary. Some patients have reported an excess of needing to urinate on a more than regular basis, while other people experience with difficulty to urinate at all. This can be painful and challenging to deal with. Furthermore, irregularity with urination can lead to other more serious complications. If you are experiencing difficulty or challenges with urination you must consult with your physician.

Lack Of Control Of Emotion

There have been reports of patients taking Effexor who have been unable to control the emotions that they are feeling. Why they are not feeling symptoms of being depressed anymore, they might be exhibiting overly excited feelings. This can be paired with an inability to control his or her excitement. This can be emotionally and mentally taxing for someone who is dealing with depression because their actions will not match their inner feelings. If you are finding that you are unable to control your emotions while you are taking Effexor, then you must consult with a physician in order to get the right medication, or dose for your depression needs.

Abnormal Dreams/ Paranoia

Some patients who are taking Effexor experience abnormal dreams or even feelings of paranoia. This is a challenging side effect because how can you measure the stability of one’s dreams. Furthermore, is it the fact that the Effexor is causing the dreams, or amplifying the individual’s perception of mental activity during REMs sleep? Many people suffer from the abnormal dreams during and after the use of Effexor. Furthermore, paranoia is a common side effect of having used Effexor. This can affect people both during and after the use of the depression medication known as Effexor.

Illusions Of Suicide

Some patients suffer from the ultimate negative side effect and this is the illusion of wanting to commit suicide. There were reports of patients who took Effexor that ended up wanting to commit suicide both during and after the use of the medication. If you or someone you know is or has been on Effexor and is suffering from illusions of suicide, then you must contact a physician immediately.

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January 26, 2014

Effexor Side Effect: Antidepressant Use During Pregnancy Doubles Up Lung Disorder Risk in Newborns

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Effexor and similar antidepressant drugs double up the risk of lung disorders when used by expectant mothers during pregnancy, a review of seven research findings claims. The latest study made public in January 2014 by the British Medical Journal advises pregnant women taking SSRI and SNRI antidepressants to consider the 2.5-time rise in the risk of persistent pulmonary hypertension in children born because of side effects of these drugs.

Persistent pulmonary hypertension (PPHN) in newborns has long been linked to use of Effexor, Zoloft, Paxil, and similar selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors by pregnant women to overcome major depressive and general anxiety disorders. During pregnancy, a baby receives oxygen from the mother through the umbilical cord and blood does not flow to lungs, which take over the function only after the birth. However, often after the birth, the automatic switch does not happen smoothly leading to obstruction of blood flow and respiratory distress in newborns and causing PPHN.

There are reports of babies born to women who used Effexor to overcome depression during pregnancy. According to medical experts and research studies, the drug side effects lead to underdeveloped heart and lungs, hole in septum wall, septal defects, and other birth deformities that cause and aggravate PPHN and similar conditions. This puts babies at the risk of heart failure, tachycardia, hypoxemia, hypertension, circulatory failure, and other long-term health problems. Oxygen deficiency may further damage other vital organs.

Effexor Birth Injury

Effexor, brand name of venlafaxine, has been linked to serious birth defects in babies born to mothers treated with the medication during pregnancy. The list includes the following deformities as highlighted by research and post-marketing studies.

Fatal heart deformities failing to maintain blood flow at required level
Septum wall opening that cause circulatory distress and quick tiredness
Cranial defects leading to under developed skull and brain
Deformities in vertebra
Neural tube defects
Septal defects causing heart disorder
Clubfoot, cleft palates and lip
Life-threatening persistent pulmonary hypertension that may result in heart failure
Hypoplastic lungs that cause respiratory distress
Developmental delays impacting life goals achievement, education, and growth
Anus deformities

Other Effexor Side Effects

Effexor side effects may result in suicidal thoughts in adolescents and children. Pregnant women are likely to have postpartum bleeding following exposure to the medication during their pregnancy, a 2012 Canadian research report claims. Gastrointestinal bleeding, pelvic pain, ejaculation disorders, constipation, withdrawal symptoms, seizure, and hypertension are among other side effects reported by Effexor users.

Effexor Lawsuits

Over 50 Effexor birth defect lawsuits centralized as per the multidistrict litigation consolidation in the court of Pennsylvania federal Judge Cynthia M. Rufe have sought punitive damages claiming that Pfizer sold the drug that is unsafe to human health, injurious, and improper to be sold. More and more parents are coming forward seeking product liability following increased number of media reports and research studies highlighting Effexor birth defects.

In February 2012, an Ohio mother sued Pfizer with the claim that she gave birth to a daughter with fatal heart defects following use of Effexor during her pregnancy. The child died a few days later. According to another Effexor lawsuit filed by a woman from Illinois, the plaintiff took the antidepressant during pregnancy in the absence of any warning. The side effects resulted in the birth of a baby girl with serious heart defects.

A similar Effexor birth defect filed in a Utah court highlights multiple deformities and malformations in a child born to a mother who was treated with the antidepressant while six-month pregnant.

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January 25, 2014

Effexor Birth Defect Lawsuit: Things to Know

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The heartbreaking news of birth defects in children born to women treated with Effexor during their pregnancy has led many to question the safety of the antidepressant. Mothers who took the medication to prevent break down of their emotional health, which would have impacted the child in their womb, ended up giving birth to babies with life-threatening birth defects. An Arkansas woman took 150 mg of Effexor during her first pregnancy trimester. She gave birth to a baby girl with “a whole in her heart.” Now almost two years’ old, her daughter had irregular heartbeat and other cardiovascular complications that impacts her quality of life.

A 30-year-old mother from Mississippi took Effexor during pregnancy, and the antidepressant side effects caused her baby to almost die after birth. Her daughter was born like a “zombie,” not crying, and without heart beat for a moment. Now at 7 years, the child continues to remain sick and suffer from low immunity and mood swings.

Effexor Birth Defect Lawsuit: The Drug

Effexor was approved by FDA in 1993. It contains Venlafaxine, a SNRI-class antidepressant. It inhibits serotonin and norepinephrine, two neurotransmitters that control human mood. Doctors widely prescribe the drug to those having obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety, depression, and fibromyalgia syndrome. The drug has become one of the most-prescribed antidepressants in the last two decades.

Effexor Birth Defect Research Studies

Consumers prefer Effexor over other SSRI antidepressants considering that it has fewer side effects. However, researchers are of the opinion that the drug used by pregnant woman may result in birth of infants with a range of deformities and defects. The following are a list of research studies that highlighted potential Effexor birth defects when taken by expectant mothers.

Potential six-fold increase in the risk of Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension, a fatal lung condition, when Effexor is used by women 20-weeks pregnant. (New England Journal of Medicine, 2006)
Risk of infants born with physical defects when the antidepressant is used by expectant mothers during their third trimester. (British Medical Journal, Aug 2013)
Two-fold increase in the risk of heart defects in babies born to mothers due to Effexor side effects during the prenatal stage. (British Medical Journal, 2009)
Developmental delays in children because of exposure to Effexor side effects during pregnancy. (Pediatrics journal, Mar 2010)

Effexor Birth Defects

Fatal heart defects and deformities
Cranial deformities
Underdeveloped brain
Anus, vertebra, and neural tube defects
Malformations in abdomen, foot, lip, palate, and other body parts
Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension
Hypoplastic lungs
Developmental and growth delays
Septal and heart valve defects

Effexor Birth Defect Warnings

The American Academy of Pediatrics warned doctors in 2012 against prescribing Effexor to pregnant women citing the risk of birth defects.
Health Canada issued an advisory in 2006 cautioning women about birth defects in infants exposed to Effexor following the drug intake by their pregnant mothers.

Effexor Lawsuits: What Plaintiffs Say

All federal Effexor birth defect lawsuits centralized in a Pennsylvania district court for pretrial consolidation have sought strict liability claiming that the manufacturer failed in its responsibility to inform consumers about the Effexor birth defect side effects.

According to an Effexor birth defect lawsuit filed by a couple, their daughter was born with serious heart defects following use of the antidepressant by the mother while she was six-month pregnant. The child has to undergo a number of surgeries in the last four years, including three immediately after her birth. She now requires further surgeries in the future to treat her heart ailment. The Effexor birth defect lawsuit has also named the doctor, who advised the drug, as a defendant.

The story of another couple from Utah is heartbreaking. Effexor side effects during pregnancy caused the birth of their son with several deformities. The infant died a day after because of heart defects and severe respiratory distress.

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January 19, 2014

Effexor Birth Defect Lawyer to Offer Free, Confidential Initial Case Evaluation

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Effexor Attorney to Offer Free Case Evaluations

To date, there have been a number of lawsuits filed over SSRI drugs, such as Paxil, Zoloft, Celexa, Lexapro and Effexor. Our team of Effexor Lawyers is willing to provide you with a free case evaluation today.

Medical and scientific literature are linking more and more each day the ingestion of SSRIs to birth defects when the drug is taken in the first trimester of pregnancy. This includes a recent study in Birth Defects Research that reported on a 10 year study showing an association between certain heart defects and the ingestion of Effexor (venlafaxine). The literature focuses on ingestion in the first trimester of pregnancy.

To date, Effexor birth injury lawsuits and Effexor birth injury cases have been filed against both Wyeth Pharmaceuticals and Pfzer, which later purchased Wyeth. The cases have been filed in Pennsylvania state and federal courts.

In order to try and help you our firm will need to obtain proof of the ingestion of the drug in pregnancy, and specifically the first trimester. This is because, for example in heart defect cases, the heart of the infant forms during the first trimester of pregnancy. Our firm will also need to obtain a questionnaire from you or your loved one to assist in our case selection process.

The first step is to call us at 1-800-632-1404 today.

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December 6, 2013

Effexor Birth Defect Lawyer Questions if Risks Outweigh Benefits

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Effexor Antidepressant: Birth Defects, Side Effects Outshine Benefits

An Effexor lawsuit filed by a resident of Utah has claimed that the SNRI antidepressant is “defective, dangerous to human health, unfit and unsuitable to be marketed.” Charity Block was happy to become a first-time mother when she gave birth to her son on November 30, 2009. However, she was shocked when the doctor told her about numerous birth deformities in the newborn baby. The boy had life-threatening heart malformations, such as Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension, septum wall opening, and ventral septal defect. Other congenital deformities included hypoplastic lungs, intestine and omentum defects, and central diaphragmatic hernia.

Block was prescribed Effexor to overcome anxiety during pregnancy, and the newborn’s birth defects matched the potential side effect risks linked to prenatal exposure to the antidepressant, as warned by various research studies. She has been suing Pfizer for its failure to inform about serious consequences for newborns when Effexor was used by pregnant women.

Sheryllyn Bonds of Georgia has also made similar allegations. According to her Effexor lawsuit, she gave birth to a boy with serious deformities after using the antidepressant prescribed by a doctor during her pregnancy. The child had imperforate anus, which required him to undergo multiple surgeries after birth, and a right club foot.

Effexor Birth Defects

Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension: A life-threatening heart defect, this leads to failure of normal blood circulation. It may lead to hypoxemia, intra-cardiac blood shunting, and heart failure in newborns.
Patent Foramen Ovale: Children born to mothers prescribed Effexor during preganancy are likely to have hole in septum wall. The hole remains open allowing blood to flow between the left and right atria instead of the lungs.
Fatal heart deformities, including hypoplastic left heart syndrome, ventral and atrial septal defects, hypoplastic lungs, and omphalocele.
Cranial defects, such as fetal brain not fully developed or skull not covered.
Developmental delays manifested in slow learning, difficulty in walking or sitting early, subdued expressions, slow brain development, and growth problems.
Clubfoot, cleft palates and lip
Neural tube defects and vertebra deformities
Partial or complete blockage of anus

Other Side Effects

Pregnant women taking Effexor are at the increased risk of postpartum hemorrhage or bleeding. According to a 2010 report in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, Effexor side effects put pregnant women at the greater risk of miscarriage. The FDA has warned about the potential risk of suicidal thoughts in those treated with the antidepressant. There are also reports of withdrawal symptoms, ejaculation disorder, somnolence, constipation, abnormal vision, hypertension, gastrointestinal bleeding, seizures, and pelvic pain in a number of people treated with Effexor.

Effexor Side Effect Warnings

In 2004, the FDA ordered the manufacturer to add a black box warning on Effexor for the risk of suicidal behavior in adolescents. In 2005, its prescription for children was prohibited.
In 2006, Health Canada urged women already pregnant or trying to conceive to refrain from taking Effexor, as it could cause deformities in children born to them.

Dozens of Effexor birth defect lawsuits have been filed against Pfizer in the United States. Judge Cynthia M. Rufe of Pennsylvania is assigned the responsibility for pretrial consolidation of all Effexor birth defect litigations by the federal MDL panel. All Zoloft birth defect lawsuits filed against Pfizer are also centralized in her court.

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