Fetal Death Side Effect and Defective Drugs

Fetal death is the death of a fetus at any point during pregnancy and before birth. A death of a fetus before twenty weeks of gestation is defined as a spontaneous abortion while a death of a fetus after twenty weeks of gestation is a stillborn. Fetal death is when there is absence of breath, heart beat, and voluntary muscle movement. Causes of fetal death can vary, and the use of prescription medication during pregnancy can lead to this traumatic experience.

Fetus Development and Unborn Child Health

Embryonic stage of fetal development is from the point of conception to eight weeks of gestation. During this stage, the development of vital organs including the heart, brain and spinal cord begins. In addition, the eyes, ears, arms, legs, feet and hands begin to form during this stage. Finally, the lungs, intestines, and facial features develop. The end of the eight week marks the beginning of the fetal stage, which lasts until birth. In this phase, vital organs continue to strengthen. More movement is made by the fetus as the bones become harder. Twenty weeks after gestation, the brain develops at a fast pace; the fetus also experiences an increase in muscle growth and bones are completely formed. The normal development of a fetus can become disrupted by a number of factors including the use of pharmaceutical medication while pregnant. This may cause a variety of complications including fetal death which occurs in 6.2 out of 1,000 births in the United States according to a recent study. Research continues on the causes, as a number of factors could lead to fetal death.

Fetal Death as a Side Effect of Prescription Medication

Although many fetal deaths and stillborns are caused by unknown factors, it is believed that pharmaceutical drug use during pregnancy is a leading factor. Exposure to these drugs, especially anticonvulsant medication in utero can have irreversible and severe side effects to the fetus and sometimes causes fetal death. Studies indicate that babies whose mothers take anticonvulsant drugs while pregnant have a higher risk of these birth defects opposed to infants who were not exposed to the drug. As a matter of fact, experts conclude that anticonvulsant drugs are one of the most common causes of danger to an unborn child. Prolonged pregnancy, diabetes, hypertension, infection in the mother, and genetic abnormality are believed to be other causes of fetal death.

Fetal Death Attorneys and Defective Drug Side Effect Lawsuits

Fetal death is the most serious birth defect to be caused by prescription medication use while pregnant. Victims of this traumatic event are not at fault and pharmaceutical companies should be held accountable for the effects of their defective products. A birth injury attorney can help with lawsuit and compensation information. If you or a loved one experienced a fetal death or a stillbirth and you believe pharmaceutical drug use during pregnancy to be the cause, a defective drug lawyer can provide information regarding your legal rights.