subject: Depakote Lawsuits For Birth Defects Being Considered by Defective Drug Attorneys [print this page] Depakote Lawsuits For Birth Defects Being Considered by Defective Drug Attorneys
Millions of people suffer from seizures, headaches and bipolar disorders. The medication Depakote is used to treat all of these conditions. Patients taking Depakote since its FDA approval in 1983 thought it was safe to do so. After all, they had no reason to believe otherwise. That is, until potentially serious side effects began to surface.
While all medications have some minor side effects associated with use, Depakote's alleged side effects are far from minor, and, most troubling, they affect the unborn child of pregnant women who are taking Depakote. Fifty percent of all pregnancies go undetected for the first trimester and it is this trimester where the danger of Depakote birth defects is the highest.
Potential Birth Defects from Depakote
Some of the possible birth defects from Depakote include:
Spina bifida
Cleft palate
Skeletal birth defects
Hand deformations
Fetal Valproate Syndrome
Fetal death
Heart malformations
Neural tube malformations
Growth retardation
There is nothing minor about the nature of these side effects which are life changing for the mother and child. The medical cost associated with caring for these children can be astronomical, nor should one minimize the impact of emotional trauma to parents and other family members. Many people now facing this situation are turning to Depakote attorneys for help.
According to a 2006 article published in Neurology, women who take Depakote for epilepsy have a 20.3 percent higher risk of giving birth to a child born with birth defects, whereas those on other medications for epilepsy had only a 10.7 percent chance.
Depakote is used to manage seizures and treat migraine headaches and bipolar disorders. However, the numerous potential side effects indicate that women in their childbearing years may wish to speak with their doctor about alternative drugs that are safe to the fetus should she become pregnant while on this drug.
Alleged Depakote Side Effects Lead to Lawsuits
Depakote is manufactured by Abbott Laboratories and has been on the market since 1983. The FDA approved an extended release version of this drug (Depakote ER) in 2000. In December 2009, the FDA released a Safety Alert regarding the potential of Depakote and valproate sodium products to cause birth defects. The FDA now requires the manufacturers of Depakote to put a boxed warning on the packaging.
Depakote and the medical community are aware of the side effects associated with Depakote and the unborn child. It's important that physicians weigh the benefits against the risks. In some cases, it may be advisable to continue to take Depakote, however, in others the dangers may far outweigh the risks. It's important to see a doctor as soon as possible.
If a person became pregnant while taking Depakote and the child was born with one or more birth defects, she may want to consider speaking to a Depakote lawyer as soon as possible to find out if she has a right to seek compensation through a Depakote lawsuit. An experienced Depakote attorney can help victims receive the highest compensation. To learn more about birth injuries related to Depakote or to find a Depakote lawyer, visit www.DepakoteLaw.com or www.DepakoteBirthInjury.com.
