Women who took the heartburn medication Prilosec before or during pregnancy and then gave birth to an infant with Prilosec birth defects or Prilosec heart defects may be wondering about their eligibility for a Prilosec lawsuit. Is it possible to win compensation to help deal with overwhelming medical expenses, pain, and suffering?
Evidence for a Prilosec Lawsuit
Pregnant women have long taken drugs like Prilosec (omeprazole) during pregnancy to help reduce the symptoms of heartburn or acid reflux. The Food and Drug Administration, however, classifies Prilosec as a Category C medication, which means that animal studies have found it to be toxic or potentially harmful to a fetus. The FDA has also received reports of pregnant women exposed to omeprazole that gave birth to babies with Prilosec birth defects like anencephaly and hydroencephaly.
Some human studies have indicated that medications like Prilosec may increase the risk of Prilosec birth defects, which provides evidence that Prilosec lawyer may use in a Prilosec lawsuit. For example, a 2010 study published in Gastroenterology found that women taking drugs like Prilosec in early pregnancy doubled their chances of having a baby with Prilosec heart defects.
Proton Pump Inhibitors Linked to Prilosec Birth Defects
Prilosec belongs to a class of drugs called “proton pump inhibitors (PPIs),” which reduce the production of stomach acid by blocking a certain enzyme involved in the process. Other drugs that work in similar ways include Nexium, Prevacid, and Aciphex. All these drugs are prescribed to treat acid-related conditions like stomach ulcers, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and Zollinger-Ellison syndrome.
Early studies with Prilosec indicated the drug might increase the risk of Prilosec birth defects, particularly Prilosec heart defects. A small study in 2001, showed that mothers who took omeprazole during pregnancy seemed to have an increased risk of ventricular septal defects. A 2010 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine analyzed the medical histories of women who took PPI drugs before conception and found that the drugs were associated with an increased risk of birth defects.
A Prilosec Birth Defects Lawyer May be Able to Help
Parents who give birth to a baby with Prilosec birth defects are often overwhelmed with expenses for hospital care, surgeries, home care, and continuing therapies as the child grows. Parents seeking to recover damages in a Prilosec lawsuit will need medical records noting the Prilosec birth defect, when the mother took Prilosec and for how long, and of any other potential health issues during the pregnancy.
If you or a loved one has had a child with Prilosec birth defects or Prilosec heart defects, you may be eligible for compensation in a Prilosec birth defects lawsuit. Contact Chaffin Luhana LLP today for a confidential case evaluation at 1-888-480-1123.
