Neural tube defects are a serious issue. These defects typically occur around 3-4 weeks of gestation when the neural tube is supposed to close and create the brain and the spinal cord. If this tube doesn’t close properly, one of a handful of different types of defects occurs. Every defect has its own cause and issues to deal with, but the risk factors all seem to be the same. There is no known cause of this birth defect as of yet. Medical science is currently working on this issue, but for now breakthrough information has been discovered about the possible risk factors of neural tube defects.

Neural Tube Defects- Risk Factors to Consider

In the case of any neural tube defects, risk factors are important to understand. The first and most common risk factor that is actually being reduced in recent years is a lack of folic acid. Because the relationship was established years ago, women who are pregnant or trying to become pregnant are being given folic acid supplements so that this does not present an issue. Another risk factor is diabetes. It is unknown why this affects neural tube defects, but women who have this condition are at least twice as likely to have a baby with a defect. Seizure disorders and AEPs (antiepileptic drugs) as well as Anti-Depressants have been shown to cause about double the risk of NTDs developing in the fetus, as well.

In addition to these risk factors, genetics and family history are presumed to play a role, although no one knows to what extent. It is thought to be involved but no one is sure how involved it will be in combination with other risk factors and elements. Environmental factors are also thought to increase the risk of neural tube defects in the fetus, but again the exact elements are not completely known. The simple fact that geographically, the instance of this defect is more common in some places than others, leads professionals to see a relationship between the environmental element and the development of NTDs.

Neural Tube Defects Risk Factors- What You Can Do

Aside from adding folic acid supplements to reduce your risk of this defect in your baby, there is not a lot that you can do to decrease your risk factors. Since the actual relationship of environmental and genetic issues isn’t known, there is no proven way to reduce your risk there. Also, with diabetes and seizure disorders, again nothing can be done to prevent the risk. Supplementation and leading as healthy of a life as possible is going to be the only key to lowering the risk of neural tube defects. Until more information is known about these conditions, it will be difficult to offer promising proof to women who want to reduce their risk.

Types of Neural Tube Defects

There are many different neural tube defects that can occur. Each one has its own epidemiology and prognosis, but the risk factors all seem to be the same. The types of defects that can occur include:

Spina Bifida
Meningocele
Myelomeningocele
Hydranencephaly
Anencephaly
Encephaloceles
Iniencephaly
Chiari Malformation

Each type of neural tube defect develops differently and as a result of a difference in the improper closing of the neural tube. Some are more severe than others, but the risk factors listed here are all going to impact the likelihood of these conditions occurring. To prevent any of these conditions, women are recommended to take folic acid supplements and be as healthy as they possibly can, and even then it is only a goal of prevention, not a guarantee.

Conclusion

Until more is known about neural tube defects, risk factors, and causes, it is hard to give useful information that is going to help women avoid this risk in their pregnancy. However, science is constantly researching information and looking for answers, which will hopefully provide assistance in the future.

References:

http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/conditions/neural_tube.html
http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/anencephaly
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/neuraltubedefects.html
http://www.health-news-and-information.com/4civista/libv/k36.shtml

Neural tube defects are disorders that arise early in the development of the fetus. These defects can cause serious lifelong complications, including death and paralysis, among other things. The 3^rd and 4^th week of development is when the brain and spinal cord are formed from the neural tube. When this occurs, the tube is supposed to fuse shut by 28 days of gestation, which is a time when most women don’t even know they are pregnant. In the event that the tube does not close, the fetus will develop an NTD of some type at the open location. The location of the opening will determine the type of defect that occurs.

NTDs versus Normal Brain Development

In a normal development, the brain and spinal cord are protected by cerebrospinal fluid and tissue that is known as the meninges. These areas are also protected by bones and skin, allowing them to grow and develop properly. In the case of a neural tube defect developing, the brain or spinal cord is left vulnerable and development can be affected significantly. From damage to developmental issues, NTDs become serious issues at this point. The open nature of the defect can lead to serious paralysis, developmental problems, and even fatalities before the fetus fully develops.

Causes

Neural tube defects have no known cause. Scientists have been studying these conditions for a long time and have yet to determine exactly what the issue is that causes these events to occur. While they understand that it comes from the neural tube malfunctioning, the reasoning is unknown. Due to research that has been done to date, it is believed that there are three basic factors that affect neural tube defects and their odds of occurring:

-Nutrition and Health

-Genetics and Heredity

-Environmental Factors

This is seen because women who take folic acid have a reduced risk of the fetus developing NTDs, and because the risk seems to increase in certain geographic areas as opposed to others. The genetic factor is not fully understood, but people who have similar anomalies that they are able to live with generally have a higher risk of creating fetuses that will have the same defects.

It has also been noted that girls are more likely to develop neural tube defects than male fetuses, which is an interesting statistic and the reasoning is unknown. Spina Bifida affects as many as 2,000 babies born every single year and 1 in 1,000 live births is an infant with a neural tube defect.

Types of Neural Tube Defects

There are many types of neural tube defects and each has its own prognosis and developmental issues. Spina Bifida is the most well-known of the conditions that results from this defect, and is relatively positive in terms of the prognosis. Anencephaly is another type of NTD, but this one is far more severe. In this condition, the brain does not form completely and fetuses that survive to birth generally die within hours of being born. Other types of NTDs and related conditions include Iniencephaly, Hyranencephaly, Encephaloceles, Chiari Malformation, and Tethered Spinal Cord Syndrome. Many of these have a prognosis that is based on the severity of the condition and are manageable. Iniencephaly generally results in death after birth in the event that the infant survives to that point, but the rest typically depend on the extremity of the condition.

Prognosis for Neural Tube Defects

As stated earlier, many neural tube defects are severe and have a very low prognosis. However, there are many that are not as severe and that will still be able to allow people to lead a semi-normal and long life. The prognosis depends completely on the specific defect, how severe it is, when it presents and how early it is detected. Until the cause of the entire family of defects is known, this is the best information that medical professionals can offer.

Lowering the Risk

While the cause and cure of neural tube defects are still unknown, there are ways that women can lower their risk of this type of condition. Folic acid, for starters, has proven to be a very effective treatment option for women who want to have a lower risk of this defect. Since this supplement has been noticed and given to pregnant women and those trying to conceive, the numbers of neural tube defects have dropped significantly.

Other risks include diabetes, seizures and some seizure medications, obesity, and genetics or environmental factors. Because little is known about these risk factors, no one can really tell you how to lower the risk that you face, no matter what the situation might be. The focus is mostly on staying healthy and minimizing medications as much as possible, but even then there is no guarantee that neural tube defects will not occur.

Statistics

Neural tube defects are present in about 1 of every 1000 live births in the United States. This does not account for the defects that kill the fetus in utero, stillbirths, or voluntary terminations that occur as a result of the defect being diagnosed in early pregnancy.

References:

http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/conditions/neural_tube-2.html

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/neuraltubedefects.html

Neural tube defect and folic acid studies all have different results and views on things. For the most part, however, it seems that the studies are either inconclusive or they prove that folic acid can reduce the risk, but there are too many variables and the issue is far too complex for people to be able to make concrete diagnoses based on a simple element. Folic acid intake may very well help with neural tube defects, but the most important thing to remember is that it can’t hurt.

Neural tube defects occur when the closure of the neural tube does not go as planned. Normally, this tube forms the brain and spinal cord during the 3rd and 4th week of gestation. In the event that closure doesn’t occur, NTDs will be present and affect either the brain or the spinal cord, or both. There are many different types of defects that can occur, and each has its own risks and level of severity to worry about. However, it seems that all neural tube defects can be minimized to some extent by ensuring that the mother has adequate folic acid supplementation in her diet. Eliminating other risk factors will further lower the risk of NTDs, so it is important to do as much as possible to decrease your risk.

The birth defects connected with Agent Orange include a variety of problems ranging from cancer to developmental defects.  It acts like a synthetic hormone which interferes with systems of the body that provide signals to cells for growth. This interferes with development, differentiation and regulation.

Agent Orange in Vietnam

Vietnam veterans had significant exposure to Agent Orange from 1962-1971 when over 11 million gallons of the herbicide was sprayed in Vietnam. Before 1965, Agent Purple, Pink, and Green were used. These have a higher concentration and contamination of dioxin than Agent Orange.

Differentiation of the cells in early development of a fetus can cause neural tube defects and much worse even before birth. Spina bifida is one of the most common neural tube defects. In 1996 the National Academy of Sciences found that there was “limited/suggestive” evidence that there was an association between spina bifida in the children of Vietnam veterans.

In 2006, new research on Vietnam veterans and their children was conducted and found that the incidence of neural tube defects such as anencephaly, encephalocele, and spina bifida were much higher than previously thought. The blood levels of the dioxin TCDD in the parent was directly associated with neural tube defects in their children.

Spina bifida is the most commonly occurring birth defect that has permanent effects. About one in one thousand babies in the US are affected by this neural tube defect. Neural tube defects like spina bifida mean that the brain, spinal cord, and the protective coverings of these organs are incompletely developed. Surgery following birth can help to correct these problems but often there are permanent results that cannot be corrected.

Caring for the Children of Vietnam Vets

Children of Vietnam vets that are afflicted with the effects of neural tube defects from Agent Orange exposure have been provided for with monetary allowances. The amount of money received to help support the needs of these children is based on the degree of disability present.

There are three levels of disability that have been designated by the VA including level I for children who can walk without external support, have no sensory or motor impairment, and IQ of 90 and higher, and is continent. Level II is for children who can walk with braces or external support, may have sensory or motor difficulty but can care for him or herself, has an IQ between 70 and 90, and requires medical intervention to remain continent. Level III is for children that cannot walk, has sensory and motor impairment, cannot care for him or herself, has an IQ less than 69, and has complete incontinence. These benefits are received regardless of age, marital status, etc.

More Research and Information

More information concerning neural tube defects caused by Agent Orange exposure in Vietnam veterans is available from Veterans Administration. There are fact sheets pertaining to Agent Orange and dozens of specific conditions such as health care eligibility, disability compensation, research, birth defects, lymphoma, sarcomas, neuropation, Hodgkin’s disease, myeloma, cancers, spina bifida, diabetes, leukemia, etc. The VA can be reached at the VA in Washington DC or at their website, www.va.gov/AgentOrange.

Though most of the studies conducted about Agent Orange and neural tube defects pertained to Vietnam vets, there has been plenty of non-military exposure and incidence. Farmers that used the herbicide may also experience the same effects and effects on their children.

References:

• http://www.vva.org/veteran/1207/agent_orange_feature.html
• http://rattler-firebird.org/va/agentorange/spinabifida.php

In 2006, it was established that women who took SSRIs like Celexa after the twentieth week of pregnancy created a higher risk of their infants having PPHN. The risk was six times that of infants not exposed to antidepressants in utero. About 12 out of 1000 infants were at risk as compared to 1 in 1000.

The FDA responded by releasing a public health advisory warning patients and caregivers of the risks involved. They also required manufacturers of antidepressants like Celexa to update their warning labels.

Research on Celexa and Pregnancy

Another study found that women who took the drug during the first trimester of pregnancy had higher incidences of heart defects in their children. Another study found that the risk of complications after birth increased as well. These include heart defects, neural tube defects, anal atresia, cleft palate, limb defects, craniosynostosis, omphalocele, and others.

Celexa was also associated with Shone’s complex which is a heart disease that prevents the blood from flowing from the left side of the heart to the rest of the body.

FDA and Celexa

The FDA classifies Celexa as a category C medication. This means that the risks to pregnant women and their children have not been sufficiently established. Though many animal studies have been done, there are not enough human studies to establish risk. Therefore, the FDA remains at category C where there is potential risk but no evidence.

Many people do not agree with this approach and have taken matters into their own hands. They get attorneys and join class action law suits in order to draw attention to the growing problem in spite of warnings.  Some have received settlements and help for maintaining the health and quality of life for their affected children.

Neural Tube Conditions

Neural tube defects often result in the death of the affected child. The most serious of neural tube defects is anencephaly. This is a condition where the neural tube does not develop well and results in the brain being underdeveloped. These children are often stillborn. Or if they do survive birth are born blind, deaf, unconscious, and only live a few hours.

Spina bifida is one of the most common neural tube defects. It is where the spinal cord pokes out of the spinal column. This can be corrected in surgery right after birth, but there are also permanent effects that must be dealt with including intellectual difficulties, muscular and skeletal problems, and loss of sensation, allergies, paralysis, lack of coordination and concentration, and incontinence.

Complications after birth have also been connected to Celexa taken during pregnancy such as unusual sleeping patterns, neurological development delays, and abnormal heart rhythms. The potential for problems is undefined. There may be problems that have not yet been determined.

Many other neural tube defects cause similar problems. There are almost endless combinations of symptoms. Treatment of these children often requires a whole team of medical professionals. The time and money required can become significant. This is another reason that parents and children affected seek legal action. Some settlements do include provision to care for the child for their entire lives.

The best option at this point is to avoid antidepressants for pregnant women and childbearing age women. Careful consideration is required to avoid future birth defects and complications afterward birth.

References:

• http://www.consumerjusticefoundation.com/celexa/neural-tube-birth-defects
• http://www.rxbirthdefects.com/antidepressants/celexa.html
• http://www.rxbirthdefects.com/effexor/neural-tube-birth-defects.html

After Depakote came on the market, it was discovered that it increased the risk of neural tube defects considerably. About 1 in 1000 children is born with a neural tube defect. However, Depakote increases this risk to about 1 in 20.

Basics of Neural Tube Defects

Neural tube defects are incomplete formations of the spinal cord and brain areas of the fetus very early in pregnancy. The neural tube is the precursor to the spinal cord and when it doesn’t close completely, a neural tube defect results. Some of the effects can be corrected by surgery in the first 24 hours after birth. But most of the effects are permanent. Children with these defects may experience problems with muscle weakness, paralysis, stiff joints, allergies, incontinence, lack of coordination/concentration, difficulty with problem solving, difficulty reading, etc.

Depakote in Pregnancy

The greatest danger with Depakote taken by women is that the damage is done often before the woman even knows she is pregnant. Women of childbearing age should always consider the possibility of pregnancy before they take Depakote. Medical practitioners are advised to discuss all the options with their patients before prescribing this drug. Effective measures to prevent pregnancy should be in place before ever taking Depakote.

Neural tube defects are not the only complications that can result from taking Depakote during pregnancy. There are several malformations that may occur. There may also be craniofacial defects and cardiovascular malformations.

There may be many children that are suffering the effects of neural tube defects from Depakote considering how long the drug has been on the market. The study that discovered the link was conducted in 2001. In the study, nearly 30% of the children had permanent defects. In 2010, further studies were done to determine the risk of birth defects in connection with Depakote. This study determined that these infants were two to seven times more likely to develop a defect such as heart defects, skeletal defects, hand deformations, and cleft palate. Spina bifida and other neural tube defects were sixteen times more likely to develop.

Depakote and FDA

Depakote is considered a category D medication. It is recognized as a drug that has serious potential to cause significant harm to a human fetus when taken during pregnancy. The FDA has required that the labeling for this drug include a ‘black box’ warning about the risk for teratogenicity. Teratogenicity is simply the potential of a drug to interfere with fetal development and cause malformations.

The FDA advises healthcare providers to never prescribe Depakote to pregnant women unless there are no other treatment options available or if the benefits outweigh the risks. There is a very good chance that there are alternative drugs that would be safer and still treat the condition.

Since the effects of neural tube defects and other malformations due to Depakote are permanent and serious and affect the child for life, provision has been made for compensation. Side effects of Depakote law suit may result in the child receiving assistance for life.

Since the information and warnings have not always been in place, the drug manufacturing company of Depakote is responsible for the injuries that occurred to children of mothers who took the drug during pregnancy.

A lawyer can be contacted to help victims get into a class action suit that can help take care of the extensive medical bills that may be piling up.

References:

• http://www.rxbirthdefects.com/depakote/neural-tube-birth-defects.html
• http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/PostmarketDrugSafetyInformationforPatientsandProviders/DrugSafetyInformationforHeathcareProfessionals/ucm192649.htm
• http://www.rxbirthdefects.com/effexor/neural-tube-birth-defects.html

It has been recently found that women who take antidepressants while they are pregnant are at significant risk to giving birth to infants with birth defects like neural tube defects. Neural tube defects are a birth defect that is caused by the neural tube, or spinal column, not fully closing early in the development of the fetus.

Neural Tube Basics

The neural tube is the precursor to the spinal cord and can cause severe problems if it does not form properly. Many children who have this kind of birth defect experience learning difficulty, movement, and developmental delays. The symptoms may include muscle weakness, incontinence, allergies, paralysis, stiff joints, problems with concentration or coordination, difficulty reading, and difficulty solving problems. Serious problems can cause a child to never be able to function on his or her own. Others can manage with medical intervention.

Research on SSRIs in Pregnancy

A 2007 study took a look at SSRIs and their affect on fetuses. SNRIs are similar to SSRIs and have similar affects. It was discovered that women who took an antidepressant in the first trimester of pregnancy placed children at twice the risk for developing birth defects such as limb defects, club foot, and anal atresia. There is also a connection between antidepressants and cleft lip/palate, and neural tube defects.

While there are only about three out of a thousand infants that have neural tube defects, there are about 12 out of a thousand that can develop problems from mothers who took certain antidepressants while pregnant. There is a definite risk, up to twice as much, to taking antidepressants during pregnancy.

The most serious of neural tube conditions is called anencephaly. This is where the end of the tube does not develop properly and parts of the brain do not develop especially the forebrain and cerebrum. It is generally fatal and most babies are stillborn or live only a very short time. Antidepressants like Effexor have been linked to this condition taken during early pregnancy.

FDA, Manufacturing, and Effexor

Currently, Effexor is a class C drug. This means that it is recognized as a drug that can cause harm to the fetus if taken during pregnancy. The FDA changed its status following the 2007 study. It is not safe to discontinue an antidepressant, but with the help of a doctor, a more suitable substitution can be made if Effexor is currently being used.

After the neural tube develops incompletely, the effects are generally permanent. The only option is to treat eth symptoms. This is something that the child and caregivers will deal with for the rest of the life of the child. Treatment can be costly and will be extensive in many cases. But neural tube defects caused by taking Effexor give the patient options to consider. Reimbursement through legal action may be available. There is nothing that can be done about the fact that an unsafe drug was given to pregnant women, but compensation may be given.

The drug manufacturing companies are held responsible for the production and marketing of unsafe drugs. Often these companies withhold information from the public to avoid having to face the consequences. But the rights of the patients are well represented by attorneys that specialize in class action law suits against pharmaceutical companies who do such things. They cause serious problems, decrease in quality of life, or may even cost the lives of some. They are held responsible and provide compensation for those that are affected.

References:

• http://www.antidepressantbirthdefects.com/antidepressant-birth-defects/neural-tube-defects.php
• http://www.rxbirthdefects.com/effexor/neural-tube-birth-defects.html

Fosamax has been in the center of serious law suits concerning side effects that have caused life changing problems. It has been determined that if the drug stays in the body for too long it can actually cause problems with the bones, especially the jaw and the femur. The deterioration of the bone can result in fracture of these bones called osteocronosis.

Symptoms of Fosamax Gone Wrong

When osteocronosis is present in the jaw it can cause loose teeth, gum deterioration, swelling and infection of the gums, pus in the jaw, and numbness in the jaw. It can be very painful and debilitating.

The effects on the femur bone, which is the largest bone in the body, are also very debilitating. The femur is generally the strongest bone in the body, but with Fosamax, that all changes. People suffering from the side effects of Fosamax have fractured their femurs doing everyday activities such as standing up and walking. The bone has been reported to snap horizontally.

These very serious side effects are not sufficiently reported to the patients that consider taking Fosamax. A lawyer can help patients adversely affected can get compensation through a class action law suit. The drug company that manufactures the drug must take responsibility for serious side effects that the patient is not sufficiently informed about.

Fosamax in Pregnancy

There has been some consideration of what Fosamax does to patients that are pregnant. There is very little information concerning this since the drug is mostly prescribed to patients that are past child bearing age. The implications are that it could affect the bone development of the fetus. There is also concern that it may cause neural tube defects if taken early in pregnancy.

The neural tube is the precursor to the nervous system, spinal cord, and the brain early in the development of the fetus. If there is a malformation of the tube, it can cause serious and permanent effects. It is often fatal to the child before or directly after birth.

Common symptoms of a neural tube defect include intellectual disability, lack of concentration, lack of coordination, difficulty solving problems, misshapen bones, and loss of sensation, muscle weakness, paralysis, incontinence, and allergies. Children that do survive require teams of medical professionals to manage their symptoms and give them a better quality of life.

Anencephaly is the most serious of neural tube defects. It is where the neural tube does not develop at the top and results in large portions of the brain never developing. Other effects can include facial abnormalities, heart defects, and the absence of the cerebrum, blindness, deafness, inability to feel pain, and continuous unconsciousness.

The FDA and Fosamax

Fosamax is a category C drug which means that its safety in pregnancy is unknown. The risks may be significant, but the studies have not been conducted to determine the exact risk. Healthcare providers are advised to discuss all the possible risks and side effects with their patients before prescribing the medication. Patients of child bearing age should be especially cautious. Most of the damage to the neural tube takes place before the woman even knows that she is pregnant. All options should be considered before taking such a drug where the risks have not been properly established.

Most physicians are cautious of prescribing this medication to any patients because of the very serious side effects that have come to light in recent years.

References:

• http://www.rxbirthdefects.com/prozac/neural-tube-birth-defects.html
• http://www.edwardslawok.com/pages/115/311/default.aspx
• http://www.fda-reports.com/fosamax/truth-actonel-fosamax.html

Recent studies have suggested that when Lexapro is taken during pregnancy it can cause birth defects such as heart defects, limb defects, and neural tube defects. The FDA has required that warning labels be included on prescriptions and has also tried to increase the awareness of healthcare providers to the potential dangers to unborn children.

Lexapro remains on the market and is still a category C drug, meaning that the risks to pregnant women and their children are unknown. Awareness is becoming greater all the time, but there are still about 80,000 pregnant women that are prescribed Lexapro yearly despite recent studies.

The Research on Lexapro in Pregnancy

These recent studies claim that about 12 out of 1000 infants will experience birth defects of some kind when their mothers have taken Lexapro while pregnant. That is in comparison to 1 out of 1000 occurrences of birth defects in infants that were not exposed to the drug.

Birth defects other than neural tube defects can develop in fetuses where mothers took the drug after twenty weeks of pregnancy. The most serious of these includes PPHN, or persistent pulmonary hypertension in newborns. This means that they will struggle with life threatening heart and lung conditions that affect circulation and oxygen supply.

Neural Tube Basics

Neural tube defects affect the fetus in the earliest stages of development. Damage can often occur before the woman even is aware that she is pregnant. This is why it is so important for women of childbearing age to be careful about the antidepressants that they take since damage can occur in the early stages.

The neural tube is the precursor to the central nervous system. It differentiates into the spinal cord and the brain. Problems that occur during its development can result in serious permanent damage. A defect is usually detected by the opening that is left in the back of the fetus. The opening can be corrected by surgery shortly after birth. But the long term effects of this defect can result in serious problems.

Symptoms associated with neural tube defects can be intellectual disability, concentration problems, allergies, muscle and skeletal malformations, paralysis, incontinence, lack of sensation, and difficulty solving problems. The most serious of neural tube defects is anencephaly which is the lack of certain parts of the neural tube developing. This results in the absence of the forebrain and cerebrum. These are necessary in functioning at any level. These children are often born unconscious, blind, deaf, and unable to feel pain. Many of these are stillborn or live only a few hours after birth.

Birth Defects with SSRIs

In 2004 one of the first studies concerning Lexapro and birth defects came out. Beyond the more serious problems, these infants may struggle more with sleeping patterns, neurological development, problems with alertness, and abnormal heart rhythms. In 2006 a study established that mothers who took an SSRI after the twentieth week of pregnancy were six times more likely to have PPHN. And the rate of neural tube defects increased from 1 in 1000 to 12 in 1000 if Lexapro was taken early in pregnancy.

In 2007 and 2010 the danger of many other birth defects was established such as omphalocele and craniosynostosis. The risk was said to be twice that of infants that were not exposed in utero.

References:

• http://www.rxbirthdefects.com/lexapro/neural-tube-birth-defects.html
• http://www.pbmattorneys.com/antidepressants-birth-defects.php

These new generation antidepressants relieve depression in two ways instead of just one and can be more effective for many people in treating major depressive disorder. They are in use more than the SSRIs because they have sometimes been more effective than just the serotonin inhibitors. It has also seen some success in treating anxiety, bipolar disorder, and panic disorder.

Problems with Pristiq

Unfortunately, Pristiq has also come under fire since it is connected to severe birth defects along with most SNRIs and SSRIs. Women who took Pristiq during pregnancy experienced an increased risk of birth defects including neural tube defects.

Life threatening birth defects like heart and lung conditions such as PPHN have also been connected with Pristiq. This very serious birth defect results in lung and heart tissue not forming completely. This means that without the umbilical cord, the child doesn’t receive the amount of oxygen that is needed. The circulation system bypasses the lungs and limits the oxygen brought into the blood.

Fetuses exposed to Pristiq have also been reported to have problems with seizures, tremors, irritability, low oxygen saturation, feeding difficulties, difficulty breathing, and constant crying after birth. These are the result of Pristiq being taken in the third trimester of pregnancy and often require hospitalization.

When the medication is taken during the first trimester of pregnancy neural tube defects can be the result. Often women are unaware that they are even pregnant and are taking the drug unaware of the risks.

The FDA and Manufacturers of Pristiq

The FDA classifies Pristiq as a category C drug which means that the risks to pregnant women and their offspring are unknown. There are no well controlled studies of the potential harm to a human fetus yet so the classification has not changed. Physicians are being made aware of the potential risks, however, and the warnings are getting out. The drug should only be prescribed if the benefits outweigh the risks.

Regardless of the growing evidence for the risks of birth defects and other complications to infants, the manufacturers of Pristiq continue to market the drug. While more in depth studies are being conducted, others are trying to raise awareness by participating in class action law suits against the manufacturers of Pristiq.

Caring for Children with Neural Tube Defects

Treatment for children who do survive the first few hours past birth can be quite extensive and require a whole team of professionals. The costs for correction and management can get to be astronomical quickly. These law suits may provide settlements that pay for procedures and long term care.

The birth defects that may occur from taking Pristiq during pregnancy may include neural tube defects which affect the nervous system development, the spinal cord, and the brain. They can be life threatening or they can be managed. But most often they are permanent.

Spina bifida is where the spinal cord is not encased by the spine and is exposed, often outside of the body. This can be corrected with surgery directly after birth. But the long term effects can be quite difficult.

Other Birth Defects

Other birth defects can include cleft lip/palate, club foot, heart defects, and craniosynostosis. The most common birth defects associated with antidepressants are spina bifida and anencephaly. Anencephaly is a lack of development of the neural tube that results in the underdevelopment of the brain. Most children with this condition do not survive much past birth.

References:

• http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0002525/
• http://www.rxbirthdefects.com/lexapro/neural-tube-birth-defects.html
• http://www.anattorneyforyou.com/index.php/ssri-recall-lawyers-and-compensation-info/pristiq-birth-defects.html
• http://www.rxbirthdefects.com/antidepressants/pristiq.html