Depakote Birth Injury: New Study Reveals Startling Increased Risks Of Birth Injuries

A new European study revealed that Abbott Laboratories anti-seizure drug, Depakote (valproic acid), increases the risks of several types of birth injuries such as Spina Bifida, heart defects, craniosynostosis and others by up to 12 times.

Depakote Injuries: Birth Defect Side Effects

A recent study of nearly 100,000 pregnancies by researchers at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands revealed that pregnant women who used Depakote, the anti-seizure medication manufactured by pharmaceutical giant Abbott Laboratories, during their first trimester may have unknowingly put their unborn children at risk for several types of serious Depakote birth defect side effects such as:

• Spina Bifida. The risk of developing Spina Bifida increased by as much as 12 times after Depakote use.
• Atrial Septal Heart Defect. The risk of developing an atrial septal heart defect condition doubled after Depakote use.
• Cleft Palate. The risk of developing a cleft palate increased by as much as five times after Depakote use.
• Hypospadias. The risk of developing hypospadias, a defect in the placement of a boy's urethra, increased as much as five times after Depakote use.
• Craniosynostosis. The risk of developing craniosynostosis, a condition where a child's skull bones close too early, increased as much as seven times after Depakote use.

Other Depakote birth defects include facial dysmorphism, limb reduction and skeletal anomolies.

Depakote Birth Injury Lawsuits

Depakote injuries such as those listed above, as well as neural tube defects, have led to numerous Depakote birth injury lawsuits. Depakote's dangerous side effects caused the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) to issue a Depakote black box warning in 2006. Depakote injury attorneys say that Abbott failed to warn Depakote users about the increased risk of Depakote injuries and may be liable for economic damages (such as hospital bills and lost wages), non-economic damages (such as pain and suffering and emotional distress) and possibly punitive damages.

If you or your child has been injured by Depakote, contact an experienced Depakote lawyer to discuss your situation, evaluate your options and explore the types of damages for which you might be entitled.