SOME DRUGS CAN LEAD TO BIRTH DEFECTS IF TAKEN WHILE PREGNANT

When a woman in Connecticut is pregnant, not only must she have regular medical care to ensure she is healthy, but also to ensure her baby is healthy. Of course, it is possible to fall ill while pregnant. However, certain medications that may be innocuous to a non-pregnant individual can be very harmful to a pregnant woman or her baby. It is essential that physicians keep this in mind when prescribing a medication to a pregnant patient.

Certain drugs, referred to as teratogens, can cause birth defects. For example, in the 1950s and 1960s a medication called Thalidomide was commonly used as a sedative and to prevent nausea. However, it was found that mothers who took this drug while pregnant had infants who were born with severe limb defects. More recently, Accutane, a prescription acne medication, was found to cause babies to be born with deformed faces and brain defects if the medication was used during pregnancy.

In fact, there are many drugs, both prescription and over the counter, that have the potential to lead to birth defects. While the U.S. Food and Drug Administration categorizes certain medications based on this risk, it is still possible that common medicines, such as certain antibiotics or even aspirin, could lead to birth defects when given to a pregnant woman.

When a pregnant woman is given a drug and it leads her baby to suffer a birth defect, then the injured parties may want to determine if they can pursue a medical malpractice claim. While it can be difficult to pinpoint exactly why a birth defect occurred, if it is possible to trace the defect to the use of a medication while pregnant that is known to cause birth defects, then the physician responsible for prescribing that medication should be held responsible for the damages the injured parties suffered.