Zofran Birth Defect Studies

San Diego, CA (Law Firm Newswire) June 11, 2015 – As use of the blockbuster anti-nausea drug Zofran continues to grow in the United States, a number of epidemiology studies conducted in the U.S., China, Sweden and Denmark have set out to analyze the potential for Zofran use during pregnancy to cause severe birth defects in babies exposed to the medication in utero.

If you took Zofran while pregnant, and your child was born with cleft lip, cleft palate, or another serious congenital malformation, contact a qualified Zofran attorney today to discuss your options for legal recourse. You may have grounds to file a Zofran birth defect lawsuit against GlaxoSmithKline, in order to pursue financial compensation for your child’s injuries and medical expenses.

Research Linking Zofran to Birth Defects

One of the first studies to highlight the risk of cleft lip, cleft palate and other birth defects in babies exposed to Zofran during pregnancy was published by the medical journal Birth Defects Research in November 2011. According to the study, conducted by researchers from the Slone Epidemiology Center at Boston University and funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), women who took Zofran during the first trimester of pregnancy, when an unborn baby is most vulnerable to harm, had double the risk of giving birth to a baby with a cleft lip and/or cleft palate birth defect.

In February 2013, the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) published a study finding that Zofran use in pregnancy was not associated with an increased risk of birth defects in exposed babies. However, roughly half of the women involved in this study took Zofran after their 10th week of pregnancy, which is significant, since research has shown that unborn babies face the highest risk of congenital malformations during the first trimester of pregnancy. That following August, another team of researchers examined the same pregnancy data used in the NEJM study, and found that Zofran use in pregnant women increased the risk of birth defects by 30%, and doubled the risk of heart malformations.

Over the past several years, additional studies have analyzed the potential link between Zofran use in pregnancy and an increased risk of major birth defects. In December 2014, a study published in Reproductive Toxicology indicated that women who used Zofran during the first trimester of pregnancy faced a two-times higher risk of giving birth to a baby with a “hole in the heart” birth defect, such as an atrial septal defect or ventricular septal defect. Overall, the researchers found that the risk of heart birth defects among babies exposed to Zofran in utero was 62% higher than average.

Cases of Zofran Birth Defects in Babies

As more and more attention is paid to the alleged pregnancy risks associated with Zofran treatment, affected families across the country are coming forward with their own stories, and many are filing claims against GlaxoSmithKline, for failing to warn about the potential for Zofran to cause birth defects in babies. In December 2014, an investigation by the Toronto Star found that Zofran use was tied to numerous cases of birth defects and adverse outcomes in babies, including musculoskeletal deformities, multiple reports of kidney defects, two fetal deaths, restricted growth in six infants, and one baby’s heart murmur, jaundice, heart malformation and mouth deformity. According to a March 2015 study published in the journal Pediatric Emergency Care, two other children died from heart problems after being administered ondansetron, the active ingredient in Zofran.

Contact an Experienced Zofran Attorney for Help

Although these Zofran studies have all been published in the past decade, recent court documents indicate that GlaxoSmithKline knew as early as 1992, that Zofran was capable of passing through the human placenta in pregnant mothers and interfering with fetal development. If your child has suffered from a birth defect, like cleft lip, cleft palate, a heart malformation, musculoskeletal defect, or fetal growth restriction, and you believe Zofran use in pregnancy to be the cause, consult an experienced Zofran lawyer today for legal help. With a skilled Zofran attorney on your side, you can ensure that your legal rights are protected and seek fair and timely reimbursement for your child’s alleged Zofran-related birth defects.

Contact us today at http://zofranlawsuit.help/ or by phone at 877-896-0468 for a free, no obligation Zofran birth defects case review.