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If you believe you've been harmed because of Depakote®, contact our Depakote® lawyers for more information. We may be able to help you get compensation for your injuries through a Depakote lawsuit.

Depakote® Birth Defects Lawsuit

Depakote® is considered a teratogenic drug, meaning it can cause birth defects. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) labels it a Class D drug. This means it has been shown to cause birth defects in some humans, but the advantages of the medication may outweigh its disadvantages in some situations.

According to reports, some babies born to mothers taking Depakote® during pregnancy were found to have:

• Neural tube defects (defects in closure of the spinal cord)
• Malformations in the skull and face
• Defects in the cardiovascular system
• Defects in other body systems
• Blood clotting disorders
• Liver failure

The North American Antiepileptic Drug Pregnancy Registry stated that there were 16 infants born to 149 mothers with epilepsy who took valproic acid monotherapy (Depakote® without any other accompanying drugs), the main active ingredient in Depakote®. This is a prevalence rate of 10.7 percent. This compares with a prevalence rate of 2.9 percent in women taking other antiepileptic medications. As a group, there was a four-fold increase in congenital malformations in mothers taking Depakote compare to pregnant mothers who took other antiepileptic drugs.

The most common malformations in the newborns were neural tube defects (defects in closure of the spinal cord.) Other malformations such as defects in the head and face, the cardiovascular system and other body systems, "compatible and incompatible with life" also were found.

The risk for neural tube defects was estimated to be between one and two percent. This compares with risks of 0.14 to 0.2 percent in the general population, as determined by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

One patient who had low fibrinogen, a substance necessary for blood clotting, and also took a number of medications to treat epilepsy including Depakote®, gave birth to an infant who hemorrhaged to death. The warning accompanying the medication says blood-clotting numbers should be monitored carefully during pregnancy.

Do I Qualify to File a Depakote® Lawsuit?

If you took Depakote® while pregnant and gave birth to a child with defects, you might have grounds to file a lawsuit. Statistics show clearly that this drug can produce birth defects when taken by pregnant mothers. Parents of infants born with these abnormalities after their mothers took Depakote during pregnancy should speak with a Depakote® lawyer to discuss their particular situation.

Schedule An Evaluation of Your Case

If you took Depakote® during pregnancy and your baby was born with severe birth defects as described above, you should contact a Depakote® attorney today. You need to find out if your situation and that of your baby qualifies you to file a Depakote® lawsuit. For more information, please contact us today.

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