Wellbutrin May Cause Infant Atrial Septal Defect

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Wellbutrin is commonly prescribed to women who are or may become pregnant for several reasons, including as an antidepressant SSRI aid and as a smoking cessation pill. Regardless of the reason, women who take this drug may experience a greater than average risk of infant child birth defects, including but not limited to heart defects, cleft palate, cleft lip, skeletal deformations and more. If your child experienced such a horrific side effect, please call us today for a free case evaluation on how we can help.

The Problem

Our firm is offering free nationwide case evaluations to families whose children were diagnosed with medical conditions at birth or shortly therafter when the mother ingested Wellbutrin or Bupropion during pregnancy. Specific birth defects includecardiac malformations (ASD, VSD, Left Hypoplastic Heart Syndrome, coarctation of the aorta, Tricuspid or Pulmonary Atresia, Pulmonary Stenosis, transposition of the great vessels or any other heart defect), neural tube defect, craniosynostosis, cleft lip, cleft palate, skeletal deformations, and club foot.

About Wellbutrin

Wellbutrin is an antidepressant drug prescribed to treat major depressive disorder, also called major depression and clinical depression, and seasonal affective disorder, a type of depression involving adverse side effects that occur each year during the same season. First approved by the FDA in 1985, bupropion hydrochloride was available for several years only under the brand name Wellbutrin. In 1996, the FDA approved a sustained-release tablet of this drug called Wellbutrin SR and, in 2003, approved an extended-release tablet known as Wellbutrin XL.

Wellbutrin carries a Pregnancy Category C classification, meaning that animal reproduction studies have shown an adverse effect on the fetus but that no adequate or well-controlled studies in humans have been performed.

Wellbutrin has been linked to congenital heart defects. Congenital heart defects affect approximately 40,000 babies each year, and one of the primary known causes of such birth defects is the ingestion of teratogenic drugs during pregnancy. A teratogen is a drug or other substance capable of interfering with the development of a fetus that can ultimately result in serious birth defects.

Atrial Septal Defect

Ingestion of Wellbutrin during pregnancy could give rise to three types of atrial septal defects: ostium secundum defect, ostium primum defect, and sinus venous defect. Problems in ventricular septation give rise to ventricular septal defects, usually in the region of the membranous septum. In an atrial septal defect, the wall that separates the upper heart chambers (atria) does not close completely. Atrial septal defect is a congenital heart disease – the defect is present at birth. The most common type of atrial septal defect is of the ostium secundum and is located at the fossa ovalis; other less common atrial septal defects include sinus venosus and coronary sinus types and the so-called ostium primum atrial septal defect. Mitral valve prolapse is often associated with secundum atrial septal defect. Because symptoms may be absent, it may take time to diagnose. The symptoms of atrial septal defect include breathing difficulties, frequent respiratory infections and shortness of breath.

Such a condition may cause surgery, lifetime defects or death.

Getting Legal Help

If your child is born with a birth defect and you had been prescribed Wellbutrin during pregnancy, you may have a claim for compensation. You may be eligible for compensation for the medical expenses for the treatment of your child and also compensation for your mental sufferings.

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