The Schmidt Firm, LLP is actively handling pulmonary atresia lawsuits in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know took an antidepressant while pregnant and your child has pulmonary atresia, you should contact us immediately. You may be entitled to compensation and our law firm can help.

Michael E. Schmidt of The Schmidt Firm, LLP has stated, “Our law firm has represented thousands of victims in pharmaceutical side effect and recall cases, however being a father of four, this particular litigation [antidepressant-induced birth defects] really strikes home. We are actively representing the children and families affected by the manufacturer’s inability to warn the mothers of the potential for congenital birth defects when taken during pregnancy.”

What is Pulmonary Atresia (PA)?

Pulmonary atresia is a congenital birth defect that occurs due to abnormal development of the fetal heart during the first two months of pregnancy. In a normal heart, the pulmonary valve is found between the right ventricle and the pulmonary artery. It has three leaflets that function like a one-way door, allowing blood to flow forward into the pulmonary artery but not backward into the right ventricle. In individuals with PA, the valve is completely closed thereby obstructing the outflow of blood from the heart to the lungs. Due to this, the newborn baby is blue in color (cyanotic) and can usually be diagnosed shortly after birth. PA is also commonly accompanied by other congenital heart defects such as tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) and ventricular septal defects (VSD).

What Causes Pulmonary Atresia?

The following antidepressants are linked to the development of pulmonary atresia in newborn babies, infants, and children if their mothers took them while pregnant:

• Paxil (Paroxetine)
• Zoloft (Sertraline)
• Celexa (Citalopram)
• Prozac (Fluoxetine)
• Lexapro (Escitalopram)
• Symbyax (fluoxetine and olanzapine)
• Wellbutrin (Bupropion)
• Effexor (Venlafaxine)

Pulmonary Atresia Types

There are two distinct types of pulmonary atresia:

• Pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum (PA-IVS) – involves complete blockage of the pulmonary valve located on the right side of the heart, which prevents the flow of blood to the heart. Because of the lack of blood flowing through the right side of the heart, the structures on that side are abnormally small.
• Pulmonary atresia with ventricular septal defect (PA-VSD) – characterized by the underdevelopment of the right ventricle. PA-VSD can be detected before birth, and occurs in 2.5-3.4% of the cases.

Do I Have a Pulmonary Atresia Lawsuit?

Our attorneys are currently accepting pulmonary atresia cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know took an antidepressant during pregnancy and your child was born with pulmonary atresia, you should contact us immediately. You may be entitled to compensation and we can help. Please use the form below to contact our Defective Drug & Products Liability Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.

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