Cipralex® and Birth Defects

If your baby is born with a birth defect and you were given Cipralex® while you were pregnant, you may be eligible to file a Cipralex® birth defect claim to seek compensation for your baby's injuries. To learn more, please contact a birth defect lawyer today.

What is Cipralex®?

Cipralex® is an antidepressant in the class of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Its active ingredient is escitalopram. Like other SSRIs, the medication increases the amount of serotonin available to the brain. Serotonin is a mood stabilizer and helps people with major depressive episodes and anxiety disorders, including:

• Panic disorder (with or without agoraphobia)
• Social anxiety disorder
• Generalized anxiety disorder
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder

Problems with serotonin levels in the brain are thought to be related to depression and related disorders.

The drug is prescribed in doses of 5, 10, 15, or 20 mg film-coated tablets. The patient medication guide says not to take Cipralex® if you are already taking other drugs that are in a group of medications called MAO inhibitors, including selegiline (for treating Parkinson's disease), moclobemide (for treating depression) or the antibiotic linezolid.

Before prescribing Cipralex® your doctor should know if you have:

• Epilepsy
• Problems with kidney or liver function
• Diabetes
• Low levels of sodium in your blood
• A tendency to bleed or bruise easily
• Been receiving electroconvulsive therapy
• Coronary heart disease

Your doctor also should have a complete list of medications you are taking because of possible interactions with Cipralex®. In the first couple of weeks of taking Cipralex®, patients should be aware of the possibility of increased thoughts of suicide or harming themselves and should contact their doctor if this occurs. This medication should not be used in children or adolescents younger than 18 years old.

Cipralex® and Birth Defects

If you plan to become pregnant, tell your doctor if you are taking Cipralex®. When taken during the last three months of pregnancy, the medication might have the following effects on the newborn:

• Bluish skin
• Changes in body temperature
• Constant crying
• Irritability
• Jitteriness
• Lethargy
• Low blood sugar
• More visible reflexes
• Muscles that are too stiff or floppy
• Problems breathing
• Problems feeding
• Sleepiness
• Sleeping problems
• Tremor
• Vomiting

Other drugs belonging to the same class of medications as Cipralex® have been associated with a possible increase in the risk of serious birth defects, including a serious lung condition called persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN), various heart defects, an abdominal wall defect in which the intestines and/or organs stick out of the belly button (omphalocele) and a skull defect in which the sutures of the head close prematurely (craniosynostosis).

Contact a Cipralex® Birth Defect Attorney

If you become pregnant while taking Cipralex®, you should tell your doctor right away. If complications do arise, you should speak with a birth defect attorney about your right to seek financial compensation. Our attorneys act as advocates for affected infants and their families and fight for full financial recoveries. Call us to find out if you qualify to file a claim.