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Lexapro (Escitalopram)

LexaproLexapro is an antidepressant, known generically as escitalopram. Lexapro is manufactured by Forest Laboratories. The antidepressant Lexapro is classified as a selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor (SSRI), and is used in the treatment of depression and anxiety syndromes in adults.

The use of Lexapro by pregnant women has been known to cause serious congenital birth defects, including the following:

  • Congenital heart defects
  • Atrial septal defects
  • Ventricular septal defects
  • Omphalocele
  • Craniosynostosis
  • Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn (PPHN)

Atrial septal defects and ventricular septal defects are also known as holes in the heart, as the proper development of the heart organ does not occur due to Lexapro exposure in the womb. Omphalocele is an abdominal deformation, which results in a newborn child’s organs, specifically those located in the abdominal region, to form outside of the body in a thin sac. Craniosynostosis is a defect affecting proper skull formation.

Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn (PPHN) is a condition in which the newborn child lives in a hypoxemic state, unable to oxygenate blood due to a defect in which blood flow is not routed into the lungs.

In addition to the serious congenital birth defects mentioned above, unborn babies who have been exposed to Lexapro in the womb are known to suffer severe withdrawal symptoms upon birth due to sudden discontinued exposure to the SSRI antidepressant. These withdrawal symptoms cause a huge amount of suffering for a newborn baby.

Furthermore, breastfeeding mothers should be aware that, if taking Lexapro, the SSRI can pass through the breast milk to the newborn, and can lead to further health problems.

If your newborn baby has suffered tremendously from exposure to the SSRI Lexapro in the womb, and has developed Lexapro-linked birth defects as a result, you and your baby are due compensation for such suffering. To learn more about your legal options and about filing a Lexapro lawsuit, contact an experienced Lexapro lawyer today at Carey Danis & Lowe.

The FDA has categorized Lexapro as a Pregnancy C drug meaning that an increased risk for congenital birth defects when taken during pregnancy cannot be ruled out.

Common Lexapro birth defects include but are not limited to:

  • Heart Malformations & PPHN
  • Congenital Heart Defect (CHD)
  • Limb Reduction Defects
  • Omphalocele (Abdominal Malformations)
  • Transposition of Great Arteries (TGA)
  • Anal Atresia (Imperforate Anus)
  • Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD)
  • Ventricular Septal Defects (holes in heart)
  • Atrial Septal Defects (holes in heart)
  • Gastrointestinal Malformations (GI Tract)
  • Atrial Enlargement
  • Tetrology of Fallot
  • Cranial Birth Defects
  • Pulmonary Stenosis
  • Hypoplastic Right/Left Heart
  • Truncus Arteriosus
  • Neural Tube Defect
  • Craniosynostosis
  • Ebstein’s Anomaly
  • Pierre Robbins Sequence
  • Gastroschisis
  • Undescended Testes
  • Hypospadias
  • Epispadias
  • Club Foot
  • Cleft-Lip
  • Coarctation of the Aorta
  • Other Related Injuries

 

Drug Information
Lexapro (Escitalopram)
Manufacturer: Forest Laboratories
FDA Approval: August 14, 2002 for major depression & general anxiety in adults
Generic Availability: N/A
Pregnancy Risk: Category C

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