Medical Drugs

Birth Defects and Prescription Drugs

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A number of drugs, including antidepressants, have been linked to a risk of birth defects when taken during pregnancy.

It’s heartbreaking to discover that your child has been born with a birth defect, especially when you learn that the birth defects may have been caused by medication prescribed to you during pregnancy.

If you or a loved one had a child born with a birth defect and took one of the following medications while pregnant, contact our medical birth defect lawyers by email or at 1.800.768.4026.

Motley Rice medical team members have fought to hold prescription drug manufacturers responsible for medications that studies later link to an increased risk of serious and life-threatening birth defects. Many of them are mothers themselves and have also held leadership positions in lawsuits alleging that prenatal exposure to prescription medications caused birth defects and are currently involved in the following lawsuits:

Current Birth Defect Lawsuits

Zofran®
While Zofran (ondansetron hydrochloride) is approved to treat nausea and vomiting in patients following chemotherapy or surgery, it has been prescribed off-label to expectant mothers suffering from morning sickness. Unfortunately, the use of this drug during pregnancy has been linked to birth defects such as heart defects and oral clefts.

Additional Birth Defect Lawsuit Experience

Effexor®
When taken during pregnancy, antidepressant Effexor (venlafaxine) may cause birth defects such as cleft lip and/or cleft palate, congenital heart defects or other developmental defects. Please note that Motley Rice is not currently taking cases related to Effexor.

Zoloft®
Prescribed for the treatment of major depression, OCD and social anxiety disorders, among other psychological ailments, Zoloft (sertraline hydrochloride) has been linked to an increased risk of birth defects, including heart defects.


Consult a medical professional before stopping or changing any medication.

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