Oregon Personal Injury Blog - Birth Injury

Paxil and Risk of Birth Defect

Christina Cole — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 18:09:27 GMT

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has concluded that exposure to paroxetine during pregnancy can increase the risk for congenital malformations, in particular, cardiac malformations. Per the FDA's request, the manufacturer has changed paroxetine's pregnancy category from C to D and now added new data and recommendations to the Warning section of paraxetine's prescribing information.

Paroxetine is available as Paxil, Paxil CR, Pexeva and generic paroxetine hydrochloride. The FDA's conclusion in paroxetine prescribing information is based on preliminary analyses of two recent unpublished studies.

â€¢ In a study using Swedish national registry data, women who received paroxetine in early pregnancy had an approximately 2-fold increased risk for having an infant with a cardiac defect compared to the entire national registry population (the risk of a cardiac defect was about 2% in paroxetine-exposed infants vs. 1% among all registry infants).
â€¢ In a separate study using a United States insurance claims database, infants of women who received paroxetine in the first trimester had a 1.5-fold increased risk for cardiac malformations and a 1.8-fold increased risk for congenital malformations overall compared to infants of women who received other antidepressants in the first trimester. The risk of a cardiac defect was about 1.5% in paroxetine-exposed infants vs. 1% among infants exposed to other antidepressants.
â€¢ Most of the cardiac defects observed in these studies were atrial or ventricular septal defects, conditions in which the wall between the right and left sides of the heart is not completely developed. In general, septal defects are one of the most common type of congenital malformations. They range from those that are symptomatic and may require surgery to those that are asymptomatic and may resolve on their own. It is of note that the data in these studies was limited to first trimester exposures only, and there are not currently data to address whether this or any other risk extends to later periods of pregnancy.

The FDA is waiting on final results of recent studies acquiring additional data related to the use of paroxetine in pregnancy in order to better characterize the risk for congenital malformations in association with paroxetine. In the meantime, the FDA is recommending the following suggestions:

Physicians who are caring for women receiving paroxetine should alert them to the potential risk to the fetus if they plan to become pregnant or are currently in their first trimester of pregnancy. Discontinuing paroxetine therapy should be considered for these patients. In individual cases, the benefits of continuing paroxetine may outweigh the potential risk to the fetus. If the decision is made to discontinue paroxetine and switch to another antidepressant or cease antidepressant therapy, paroxetine discontinuation should be undertaken only as directed in the prescribing information. Paroxetine should generally not be initiated in women who are in their first trimester of pregnancy or in women who plan to become pregnant in the near future.

Women that are pregnant, or planning to become pregnant and currently taking proxetine should meet with their doctor to discuss whether they should continue taking it. However, women should not stop using the drug without first discussing it with their doctor.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Christina Cole

Girl, 5, Wins Pre-Birth Injury Case

Christina Cole — Mon, 15 Jan 2007 12:37:48 GMT

Blind five-year-old Brooklynn Rewega is the first person in Canada to win an insurance settlement against her Mother for birth injuries.

Brooklynn, who has cerebral palsy, was able to sue her Mother for the settlement after her parents persuaded the Alberta government to pass special legislation. Lisa and Doug Rewega, lobbied for the legislation so they would have the needed money to pay for the special care that Brooklynn will require throughout her life.

On December 31, 2000 Lisa was pregnant and driving to church when she roller her car and was thrown through the windshield. Brooklynn was born four months later after suffering lifelong diabilities.

The settlement agreement, with the Personal Insurance Co. of Canada, was not disclosed.

Alberta's legislation limits lawsuits to the amount of a mother's personal liability insurance coverage. Lisa Rewega was considered to be at fault for the crash. The family was unable to sue her and Personal Insurance because of a 1999 Supreme Court of Canada decision that prevents children from making claims against their mothers for events that happen before birth.
The ruling left an opening for legislation to let a child sue a mother in cases only where the child is injured as a fetus in a car accident -- not, for example, where the mother is an addict.Alberta agreed to two pieces of legislation -- one applying specifically to Brooklynn's case, retroactive to the accident, and a broader act for other children but not retroactive.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Christina Cole

Oregon Injury Settlements and Birth Injuries

Brad Brad — Wed, 01 Nov 2006 19:30:51 GMT

There are times when you may need the help of a dedicated lawyer. Birth injuries and the possibility of Oregon injury settlements are one of those times.

Oregon injury settlements are often made in the case of birth injuries but you will need experienced legal counsel. It is also important that the lawyer specializes in personal injury law and has handled many birth injury cases.

There are many types of birth injuries that are not very serious and will heal within in a few weeks. Sometimes there are marks left by the forceps or there may be bruising or swelling. When these injuries occur they are usually not cause for a legal claim.

Other times, more serious birth injuries take place and Oregon injury settlements may be a possibility. When nerves are torn and the damage is permanent you may need the services of an attorney.

Sometimes the facial nerves are bruised and the condition will improve over time. Unfortunately the facial nerves are sometimes permanently damaged resulting in facial paralysis. Surgery may be necessary. Oregon injury settlements may cover these expenses.

If the nerves around the shoulder are stretched during birth the result may be a brachial plexus injury. At times the infant will completely recover within six months but if not, surgery will be required to try to repair the nerve damage. The outlook is not good when this happens and may result in an injury settlement.

Cerebral palsy is another condition caused by trauma to the brain during birth. The condition does not worsen but it causes a chronic disorder. Oregon injury settlements have been awarded to those affected by this disorder.

Check with a personal injury lawyer to find out if you could be compensated by Oregon injury settlements.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Brad Brad

Epilepsy Drug Linked To Birth Defects

Staff Writer — Wed, 09 Aug 2006 13:15:54 GMT

A new study solidifies beliefs that women of child-bearing age should avoid the epilepsy drug Depacon (valproate). Evidence showed that of 333 women followed, 20 percent of those taking Depacon suffered miscarriages or gave birth to babies with birth defects. Problems with three other drugs ranged from one to 11 percent.

The study examined only women who took the epilepsy drugs from 199-2004, and researchers note that the sample size was small, and there are newer drugs which were not included in the study.

The researchers found that fetal death or serious birth defects occurred in 20 percent of the women who took valproate. Other problem rates were 11 percent for phenytoin, 8 percent for carbamazepine and 1 percent for lamotrigine.
The four drugs are also known by their U.S. brand names Depacon (valproate), Dilantin (phenytoin), Tegretol (carbamazepine) and Carbatrol (carbamazepine), and Lamictal (lamotrigine).

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Staff Writer

Hypertension Drugs Linked to Birth Defects

Staff Writer — Sun, 16 Jul 2006 13:19:25 GMT

Fellow blogger Denise Rubin in NY talks about the recent announcement that ACE inhibitors have been linked to birth defects in the first trimester of pregnancy, specifically problems with fetal skull development, kidney problems and growth inhibition.

ACE inhibitors such as catopril and lisinopril are prescribed to treat hypertension and are popular medications used for kidney protection in people with diabetes.

Denise notes that:

According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, 30 percent of fetuses are affected. Physicians have been aware for some time about long-understood hazards in the second or third trimester, and the prescribing information for these drugs warns doctors not to prescribe them for pregnant women and to stop them right away if a woman becomes pregnant.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Staff Writer