Celexa® and Birth Defects

Celexa® has been linked to an increase in the risk of birth defects when taken during pregnancy. if your baby is born with a birth defect and you were given Celexa® during your pregnancy, we may be able to help you obtain compensation for your child's suffering. Call today to schedule a free review of your case.

Celexa® (citalopram hydrobromide) is a prescription medication for depression and is in a class of antidepressants called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). These drugs make the body's naturally occurring substance serotonin more available to the brain where it acts as a mood enhancer or stabilizer.

In the last 20 years, SSRIs have become the most commonly prescribed medications to treat depression. In addition to treating depression, Celexa® also is prescribed to treat alcoholism, eating disorders, panic disorders, premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMS or premenstrual syndrome) and social phobias.

The medication comes as 10, 20, or 40 mg tablets and may also be prescribed as an oral solution.

Celexa® and Birth Defects

Celexa® has been linked to numerous birth defects. In the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, a recent article said children born to mothers taking Celexa® were four times as likely to need care in a neonatal intensive care unit compared to other infants.

The article noted that this finding could be due to the fact that newborns of mothers taking Celexa® were experiencing withdrawal symptoms after they no longer received the drug from their mothers' bodies. Other symptoms experienced by these newborns included problems with breathing, feeding and sleeping. They also were more irritable and had increased muscle tone.

Serious birth defects have been reported by mothers who took the medication during pregnancy. These include:

• Anencephaly — This is a birth defect that affects the formation of the infant's brain and skull bones surrounding the head. In these babies, the brain is only minimally developed. The bony covering over the back of the head is missing and bones at the front or the sides of the head may also be absent.
• Craniosynostosis — This condition occurs when the sutures of the skull close prematurely. The sutures are the connections between the bones that make up the skull. When craniosynostosis occurs, the head is abnormally shaped. The condition is usually corrected surgically. If it is not corrected, the child may have increased intracranial pressure, seizures and developmental delays.
• Omphalocele — This occurs when the contents of the abdomen protrude through the belly button. Sometimes only the intestines stick out, but other abdominal organs may protrude as well.
• Septal heart defects — These defects often are called holes in the heart. They occur when there is a malformation in the walls that separate the atria or the ventricles in the infant's heart. If not properly treated surgically, these defects can lead to pulmonary hypertension or congestive heart failure.

Dangerous Side Effects of Celexa®

Celexa® was featured in a drug safety communication published by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in August 2011. The special release was based on data the FDA reviewed recently, showing a link between high doses of Celexa® and certain abnormal heart rhythms.

The agency warned that doses higher than 40 mg per day could be dangerous and produce abnormal changes in the electrical rhythm of the heart leading to heart rhythm disturbances that might be fatal.

Because of the possibility of suicidal thoughts or actions which this drug is known to cause in some patients, the FDA added a black box warning to the drug label. The black box enclosing the warning indicates it is the most serious warning the FDA gives about a medication.

Results of a study showed that a small number of children, teenagers and young adults up to the age of 24 who take antidepressants become suicidal. These changes in mood or behavior are most likely to occur when the drug is started or when the dosage is increased.

Contact a Celexa® Birth Defect Lawyer

Our birth defect lawyers help parents whose infants are born with complications after being exposed to medications such as SSRI antidepressants during development. If you were given Celexa® or another type of antidepressant while you were pregnant and your baby is born with one or more congenital defects, we may be able to help you seek financial compensation to pay for the medical costs associated with the condition and to help ensure that your child receives the highest quality of life.

To find out if you qualify, please schedule a free case review with a qualified, professional and compassionate birth defect lawyer today.