New York City Prozac Attorneys

What Is Prozac?

Approved by the FDA in 1986 and manufactured by Eli Lilly, Prozac is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI). Other SSRI drugs include Paxil, Zoloft, Lexapro and Wellbutrin. In addition to being used as an antidepressant, it is often prescribed to combat obsessive-compulsive disorders, panic attacks and eating disorders.

The chemical name for Prozac is fluoxetine hydrochloride. Other brand names for this drug include Sarafem, Selfemra and Rapiflux. It is highly popular and used by millions of people in approximately 90 different countries. Unfortunately, Prozac has also been linked to serious birth defects and other dangers.

Could your baby’s birth defect have been caused by your using Prozac? Call the New York City defective drug lawyers at Finz & Finz, P.C., toll free at (855) TOP-FIRM, or contact the office online for a Free Case Evaluation.

Lung and Heart Defects

Prozac has been linked to a number of birth defects, including cleft palate, cleft lip and clubfoot. One of the most serious birth defects, however, is persistent pulmonary hypertension (PPH), a potentially life-threatening condition for a newborn. While the lungs of healthy infants start functioning immediately after birth, the lungs of babies with PPH fail to begin operating as they should. Without a proper supply of oxygen, such infants risk death.

Prozac is also associated with an increased risk of cardiac defects. Your baby’s doctor may suspect either PPH or a heart defect if your infant:

Has trouble feeding
Has skin that turns blue (cyanosis)
Loses consciousness
Fails to gain weight
Shows poor development
Suffers a stroke
Has chest pain
Acts lethargic or overly fatigued

Cranial and Abdominal Defects

In addition to lung and heart problems, Prozac has been linked to the abnormal formation of an infant’s skull, brain or abdomen. A birth defect called omphalocele causes the baby’s intestines or other internal organs to grow outside of the body.

Other birth defects are craniosynostosis and anencephaly. Craniosynostosis causes the sutures in an infant’s skull to close prematurely, creating an odd-shaped head and putting pressure on the newborn’s brain, which can cause seizures, pain and brain damage. Anencephaly is when part of the infant’s brain is actually missing.

Call a Birth Defects Attorney at Finz & Finz, P.C.

If your newborn has a birth defect such as persistent pulmonary hypertension and you were taking Prozac during the pregnancy, call Finz & Finz, P.C., toll free at (855) TOP-FIRM to speak with a skilled New York City defective drug lawyer today. You can also fill out the Free Case Evaluation form online to request a confidential consultation.