Wellbutrin
Wellbutrin is a popular anti-depressant. U.S. researchers have linked the use of Wellbutrin during pregnancy to an increased risk of have a child with heart defects. According to a study published in May 2010, researchers found that women given Wellbutrin during the first trimester had double the chance of having a child with a congenital heart problem known as a left outflow tract defect. The birth defect can result in restricted blood flow to the rest of the child’s body and must often be surgically corrected to allow the child’s main artery to function properly. Researchers estimated that 2 in every 1,000 women who took Wellbutrin during the first trimester would give birth to a child with the birth defects.
Drug companies have downplayed the risk to fetuses of the use of these drugs during the first trimester of pregnancy. However, recent studies have shown a significant increase in occurrence of serious birth defects as a result of using some of these drugs during the first trimester. If you were taking an SSRI before you found out you were pregnant, there is a possibility that your child’s birth defect was caused by the drug — even if you stopped taking it once you found out you were pregnant. Recent litigation has held these drug companies accountable for their failure to warn of these risks. If you or a loved one has taken an SSRI and given birth to a child with a congenital birth defect, you may be entitled to compensation.
