Antidepressant medication is often prescribed to help treat mild to severe depression, schizophrenia, and other mental disorders. Many of these medications, such as Celexa, work as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) that increase serotonin levels in the brain, producing a temporary feeling of happiness and wellbeing. Although SSRIs have been successful in helping relieve the crippling symptoms of depression, they’ve also been linked to terrifying side effects for expectant mothers.
The FDA has warned that expectant mothers who took Celexa and other SSRIs during pregnancy have an increased risk of their children developing birth defects. These birth defects include:
- Craniosynostosis—A condition when the joints in an infant’s skull close too soon and the brain doesn’t have enough room to develop.
- Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension (PPHN)—a potentially fatal condition that results in a newborn’s blood being directed away from the lungs because of problems with the circulatory system.
- Cleft Palate—a condition in which a developing baby’s mouth fails to fully develop while in the womb.
If your child suffered birth defects after you were prescribed Celexa during pregnancy, you may be entitled to significant compensation. Call our experienced drug injury lawyers today for a free evaluation of your claim. Your child deserves the best medical treatment available, and we’ll fight to secure the money that treatment will require. Contact us today.