Luvox® and Birth Defects

Luvox® has been linked to certain birth defects in infants whose mothers took the drug while pregnant. If your baby was born with a congenital defect and you took Luvox® during your pregnancy, we may be able to help you. Contact us for a free review of your case.

What is Luvox® Used For?

Luvox® is in the class of drugs called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and is prescribed to treat obsessive-compulsive disorder. Obsessive-compulsive disorder is characterized by someone having to perform certain tasks or actions repetitiously, over and over again. It also can be characterized as having unpleasant thoughts that won't go away.

Serotonin is a naturally occurring substance in the body that acts as a mood stabilizer in the brain. SSRIs work by keeping the amount of serotonin available to work in the brain. This drug sometimes is used to treat depression. Luvox® also is prescribed for social anxiety disorder, which is extreme fear of being with or talking to other people that interferes with a person's normal daily life.

The medication comes in the form of a tablet or an extended-release capsule. The tablet is usually prescribed to be swallowed once a day at bedtime or twice a day, once in the morning and once at bedtime. The extended release capsule, which should be swallowed whole and not chewed, usually is taken once a day at bedtime.

The medication guide tells patients that it can take as long as several weeks for the medication to take full effect. Patients should continue to take the drug, even if they feel well. It is common to be started on a low dose of Luvox® that is increased gradually and not more often than once a week. The dosage is regulated by how it affects the patient and what types of side effects are experienced.

It is important not to suddenly stop taking the drug because this can produce unpleasant withdrawal effects. These may include:

• Agitation
• Confusion
• Dizziness
• Extreme worry
• Fatigue
• Headache
• Irritability
• Mood changes
• Pain, burning, numbness, tingling or feelings of being jolted by an electric shock in the hands and feet
• Trouble falling asleep or staying asleep
• Unease

It is important to tell the doctor what other medications you are using since there can be complications from adverse drug interactions.

Luvox® and Birth Defects

An FDA alert released in July 2006 warned users of SSRIs, including Luvox®, that these substances might compromise the health of their newborns if they take the medication 20 weeks or later into their pregnancies. The study results showed that the risk of persistent pulmonary hypertension in the newborn (PPHN) was much higher in these women.

Pregnant women who took these medications later in their pregnancies had babies with PPHN between six and 12 times per 1,000 births. This compares to the incidence of babies whose mothers did not take antidepressants during their pregnancies which was one to two births per 1,000 babies. In other words, the risk was six times greater in the babies of woman taking SSRIs.

The retrospective study that yielded these results was published in the Feb. 9, 2006, issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

Babies born with PPHN have breathing problems that result in too little oxygen being distributed to the organs and tissues throughout their bodies. PPHN is a serious disorder.

Contact a Luvox® Birth Defect Attorney

If you took an SSRI during your pregnancy, including Luvox®, and your baby was born with PPHN, you should contact a birth defect attorney to help you determine if you deserve to be compensated for your baby's birth defect. Our birth defect lawyers are advocates for affected infants and their families and can help you obtain the compensation you need to provide your child with the highest quality of life. Call today to schedule a free review of your case.