Celexa During Pregnancy

Celexa Lawsuits may result from side effects of Celexa use during pregnancy leading to birth defects such as spina bifida, cleft palate, and heart defects.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, about one in four adults suffer from a mental disorder every year, such as depression. Depression is a serious condition and, left untreated, it can lead to severe behavioral, emotional and medical problems which may affect nearly every aspect of an individual's life. In order to prevent depression-related disorders from interfering with their daily lives, many Americans take prescription antidepressant medications like Celexa. Since its introduction, Celexa has become one of the most popular forms of antidepressant medications on the market. Unfortunately, recent research has indicated that Celexa side effects may be linked to an increased risk of life-threatening birth defects in infants whose mothers take the drug while pregnant, including cleft palate, persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn, abdominal defects, craniofacial malformations and spina bifida, among other serious birth injuries.

Celexa Described

Celexa is an antidepressant medication included in the class of medications known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs, and contains the active ingredient, citalopram. Celexa first entered the U.S. market in 1998 and is currently manufactured by a pharmaceutical company called Forest Laboratories. Celexa functions by raising or restoring the balance of serotonin in the brain, thereby improving certain mood problems and relieving depression. Although citalopram is only approved to treat major depression in adults, the drug is often prescribed for off-label uses such as treatment for anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic disorder, and certain eating disorders.

Celexa and Birth Defects

"If you are currently taking Celexa and you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, consult your physician as soon as possible to discuss your treatment options."

According to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2006, women who took SSRI antidepressants like Celexa after the twentieth week of pregnancy increased their risk of giving birth to a child with persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn, or PPHN, by six times, when compared to women who did not take antidepressants while pregnant. According to the report, up to twelve out of 1,000 infants developed PPHN after being exposed to SSRI medications like Celexa, compared to the average among the general population, which is one to two per 1,000 infants. In response to these findings the FDA released a public health advisory warning patients and healthcare professionals about the potential connection between SSRI use and the development of PPHN in infants. The FDA also required all sponsors of SSRI drugs, including Celexa, to update their drugs' warning labels to include potential pregnancy precautions, including the risk of PPHN.

Another study, published in the American Journal of Nursing and conducted by researchers in Denmark and the United States, compared 1,370 women who took SSRI antidepressant medications during the first trimester of pregnancy with 493,113 women who did not take the drugs. According to the study's results, the prevalence of septal heart defects among infants born to women who took an SSRI while pregnant was 0.9%, compared to the rate among the general population, which is 0.5%. The risk of heart defects among infants exposed to more than one SSRI was significantly higher.

In addition, a study published in Pediatrics in 2004 determined that women who took SSRI antidepressant medications while pregnant increased their child's risk of being born with serious complications, including abnormal heart rhythms, inhibited neurological development, problems with alertness and unusual sleeping patterns. The use of Celexa has also been allegedly associated with Shone's Complex, a congenital heart disease which prevents the child's blood from flowing from the left side of the heart to the rest of the body. Other birth defects potentially linked to the use of Celexa include:

Celexa and Pregnancy Risks

Celexa has been labeled a pregnancy category C medication by the FDA, indicating that there is a potential for the drug to cause harm to a human fetus. Unfortunately, since half of all pregnancies are unplanned and many of these major birth defects are already established by the twelfth week of pregnancy, women taking Celexa may cause irreversible harm to their unborn child before they are even aware that they are pregnant. According to the FDA, animal studies have shown a connection between Celexa and adverse effects on fetal development, but adequate human studies involving pregnant women are lacking. Therefore, Celexa should be used during pregnancy only if the possible benefits of the medication justify the potential risk to the fetus. If you are currently taking Celexa and you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, consult your physician as soon as possible to discuss your treatment options.

A Celexa Attorney Can Help

According to an article published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, at least 80,000 pregnant women in the United States are prescribed SSRIs, including Celexa, in any given year. Victims of major birth defects potentially linked to the use of Celexa are not at fault and may have grounds to file a Celexa lawsuit in order to collect reimbursement for their injuries. There are several civil lawsuits and government investigations currently underway concerning the marketing strategies of Forest Laboratories, which allege that that company was aware of the potential dangers associated with the use of Celexa during pregnancy but failed to alert the public of these risks. The major allegations against Forest Laboratories claim that the company downplayed the alleged risks of Celexa use during pregnancy, misrepresented the potential Celexa side effects, and exercised deceptive marketing tactics, including intentionally manipulating Celexa statistics. If you or a loved one has suffered from a severe birth defect which you believe to have resulted from the use of Celexa, a Celexa attorney can help. Qualified Celexa lawyers are well-versed in defective drug litigation and can help you seek financial compensation for your alleged Celexa birth defects, the medical expenses resulting from injury treatment, and the pain and suffering sustained by you and your family.