Celexa (citalopram) is an SSRI antidepressant medication used by millions of women in the United States. Did you know that Celexa and other SSRI antidepressants may increase your risk of having a baby with a birth defect? These medications have been linked to a wide variety of severe, life-threatening birth defects. If you took Celexa during pregnancy and your baby was born with a birth defect, you may have a Celexa lawsuit.

What You Can Do & How a Celexa Lawsuit Can Help

The Schmidt Firm, LLP is currently accepting Celexa birth defect cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know has had a child with a birth defect caused by this medication, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free Celexa lawsuit consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Celexa Litigation Group or call us toll-free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.

Celexa Overview

Celexa (citalopram) is a medication that is primarily used to treat depression. It may also be prescribed to treat mood or personality disorders, including eating disorders, alcoholism, panic disorder, premenstrual dysphoric disorder, social phobia, and more.

Celexa belongs to a class of antidepressants known as SSRIs, which stands for “Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors.” These medications treat depression by increasing the amount of serotonin in a person’s brain. Antidepressants may also affect the level of other neurotransmitters, such as norepinephrine and dopamine.

SSRIs are some of the most popular antidepressants in existence because they have relatively few side effects, compared to older types of antidepressants. The most common side effects from these medications are headache, nausea, drowsiness, jitteriness, and sexual problems. Unfortunately, SSRIs like Celexa have also been linked to severe side effects for an unborn child.

Celexa and Pregnancy

Do not start or stop taking any medication without first consulting a physician. Depression is a serious illness, and suddenly stopping Celexa may have adverse effects on you and your unborn baby.

Celexa is often prescribed to pregnant women who suffer chronic anxiety regarding their pregnancy. It may also be prescribed to pregnant women who are depressed. Some research suggests that women who take an SSRI during pregnancy may be more likely to have a baby with a serious birth defect, especially heart defects and Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn (PPHN).

During a woman’s lifetime, she has a 10-25% risk of suffering from depression. Depression is most likely to occur during a woman’s childbearing years. A recent study found that, between 1998 and 2005, 4.5% of mothers reported using an antidepressant during pregnancy. Of these women, 3.8% were using an SSRI antidepressant, making this class of antidepressants the most commonly used during pregnancy. Several studies have looked for a link between SSRI antidepressants, such as Celexa, and a wide variety of birth defects.

The scientific studies that have found a link between SSRIs and birth defects have found that the risk is greatest when these medications are taken early in pregnancy. Serious heart defects, abdominal defects, and neural tube defects occur in the first eight weeks. Unfortunately, many women do not realize they are pregnant immediately.

Scientific Studies of SSRIs and Pregnancy

Several scientific studies have looked for a conclusive link between the maternal use of SSRI antidepressants and birth defects. The strongest scientific evidence exists for a link between antidepressants and heart defects, and also a rare heart-lung condition known as Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn (PPHN). Links have also been found to neural tube defects, abdominal wall defects, and physical deformities. Here are a few resources:

• Use of Selective-Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors in Pregnancy and the Risk of Birth Defects, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, found a link between SSRIs and anencephaly, craniosynostosis, or omphalocele.
• FDA Drug Safety Communication: Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressant use during pregnancy and reports of Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn (PPHN), a rare heart and lung condition.
• FDA Safety Advisory regarding the link between the SSRI Paxil (paroxetine) and heart defects. Women taking an SSRI during the first three months of pregnancy were 1.5 to 2 times more likely to have a baby with a heart defect.

Celexa and Birth Defects

Celexa has been linked to a variety of birth defects. The Celexa lawyers at The Schmidt Firm, LLP are currently accepting birth defect cases in all 50 states. Contact us if your baby was born with any of the following defects:

• Heart Defects
• Cranial Defects
• Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn (PPHN)
• Abdominal Defects
• Neural Tube Birth Defects
• Ebstein’s Anomaly
• Clubfoot
• Spina Bifida
• Esophageal Stenosis
• Gastroschisis
• Tetralogy of Fallot
• Coarctation of the Aorta
• Truncus Arteriosus
• Pulmonary Valve Stenosis
• Atrial Septal Defects
• Ventricular Septal Defects
• Anal Atresia
• Patent Ductus Arteriosus
• Mitral Valve Defects
• Hypoplastic Right Heart Syndrome
• Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome
• Aortic Stenosis
• Heart Murmur
• Tricuspid Atresia
• Transposition of the Great Vessels
• Pulmonary Atresia
• Heart Valve Problems
• Down Syndrome
• Anencephaly
• Hypospadias
• Tricuspid Valve Stenosis
• Dandy-Walker Syndrome
• Hydronephrosis
• Encephalocele
• Undescended Testicles
• Craniosynostosis
• Esophageal Atresia
• Cloacal Exstrophy
• Hydranencephaly
• Cleft Lip
• Cleft Palate
• Growth Retardation
• Iniencephaly
• Diaphragmatic Hernia

Do I have a Celexa Lawsuit?

The Schmidt Firm, LLP is currently accepting Celexa induced birth defect cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know had a baby with a birth defect after taking Celexa, you should contact our Celexa lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Celexa Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.

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