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Topamax can cause birth defects, including cleft palate, cleft lip, and genital and skeletal deformities. Please contact us immediately for a free consultation on a Topamax birth defect. We are standing by now to explain to you questions about Topamax lawsuits, Topamax class action lawsuits, Topamax injuries and Topamax side effects.
The FDA has issued a recent warning (March 4. 2011) to doctors prescribing Topamax or Topiramate:
“Health care professionals should carefully consider the benefits and risks of topiramate when prescribing it to women of childbearing age,” said Russell Katz, M.D., director of the Division of Neurology Products in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. “Alternative medications that have a lower risk of birth defects should be considered.”
The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) also earlier this year:
Newer-Generation Antiepileptic Drugs and the Risk of Major Birth Defects JAMA, 05/19/2011
Mølgaard–Nielsen D et al. – Among live–born infants in Denmark, first–trimester exposure to lamotrigine, oxcarbazepine, topiramate, gabapentin, or levetiracetam compared with no exposure was not associated with an increased risk of major birth defects.
Methods
Prevalence odds ratios (PORs) of any major birth defect diagnosed within the first year of life by fetal exposure to antiepileptic drugs.
Results
Of the 1532 infants exposed to lamotrigine, oxcarbazepine, topiramate, gabapentin, or levetiracetam during the first trimester, 49 were diagnosed with a major birth defect compared with 19 911 of the 836 263 who were not exposed to an antiepileptic drug (3.2% vs 2.4%, respectively; adjusted POR [APOR], 0.99; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.72–1.36).
A major birth defect was diagnosed in 38 of 1019 infants (3.7%) exposed to lamotrigine during the first trimester (APOR, 1.18; 95% CI, 0.83–1.68), in 11 of 393 infants (2.8%) exposed to oxcarbazepine (APOR, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.46–1.59), and in 5 of 108 infants (4.6%) exposed to topiramate (APOR, 1.44; 95% CI, 0.58–3.58).
Gabapentin (n = 59) and levetiracetam (n = 58) exposure during the first trimester was uncommon, with only 1 (1.7%) and 0 infants diagnosed with birth defects, respectively.
As the JAMA paper emphasizes “safety data on first-trimester use of newer-generation antiepileptic drugs and birth defects are limited.”
Bottom line: reports show there are potential dangers to taking Topamax, and that you may find a link between taking Topamax and birth defects.
Cleft lip and cleft palate occur when a child’s oral structures fail to develop properly in utero. Cleft lip is characterized by a vertical fissure in the upper lip which may extend up through the nose. Cleft palate can vary in severity from a small opening at the back of the mouth to a nearly complete separation of the roof of the mouth. Children born with cleft lip or cleft palate may struggle with severe side effects like feeding difficulties, recurring ear infections, dental problems, hearing loss, and delays in speech and language development.
If your child was born with cleft lip, cleft palate or any other birth defect after you took Topamax when pregnant, do not delay in calling us for help.
Ed Wallis is an attorney currently representing and seeking clients who have taken several prescription drugs and claim injuries associated with those drugs, including Wellbutrin, Paxil, Topamax, Avandia, Accutane and Reglan. He also represents clients across the globe pertaining to medical device failures, including the Advanced Bionics HiRes90k cochlear implant, the Gynecare Prolift transvaginal mesh – sling and the DePuy hip implant. In fact, Mr. Wallis and others in the firm in which he practices serve as counsel to persons around the world for defective medical devices and drugs.
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