When our doctors prescribe us medicine, we usually trust them to know what is best for our health – after all, they have significant training and experience and any Cook County doctor who prescribes medicine is expected to ensure the expected benefits outweigh any risks. Unfortunately, the companies that make medicine do not always correctly describe adverse effects, and not all doctors exercise appropriate caution when prescribing medicines to pregnant women.
Pregnant women are particularly at risk from dangerous prescription drugs. Certain drugs are known to cause permanent harm to a developing fetus that can result in serious complications. These complications can be life-threatening, and, even when they are not, they can result in years of expensive medical treatment and necessitate 24/7 caregiving. If a baby suffers birth defects or birth injuries because of a medication error during pregnancy, labor, or delivery, there may be a possibility of recovering compensation.
Common Drug-Induced Birth Defects
Many different medications can cause birth defects, and the extent to which the drugs are harmful can depend on the dosage and when in the pregnancy the medicine was taken. Certain drugs can be dangerous even during labor and delivery. Some of the most common prescription-medicine cause birth defects include:
-
Spina bifida and other neural tube defects
-
Blindness
-
Congenital heart defects
-
Persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn
-
Cleft palate
-
Anencephaly
Doctors Must Balance Risks and Benefits
Doctors must abide by a high standard of care to their patients, always considering the trade-offs of any medical decision. Many women need medicine during pregnancy and the risks of stopping medication are greater than the risks of continuing to take it. However, some doctors may be careless or incompetent and fail to recognize the hazards a medicine may pose to a mother and her unborn child. While birth defects happen even in completely healthy pregnancies, if you believe your child suffers from a birth defect or injury because of improperly prescribed medicine, you may be able to pursue compensation for medical malpractice.
Call an Experienced Cook County Birth Injuries Lawyer
Finding out that your child’s birth defects or injuries may have been caused by improperly prescribed medicines can ruin the precious early moments with your infant. If you believe that your doctor improperly prescribed medicine during your pregnancy or labor that may have contributed to birth injuries, consider getting the help of a skilled Chicago, IL birth injuries attorney at Birth Injury Law Alliance. We offer free, no-risk consultations so you can learn more about potential options. Call us today at 312-462-4200.
Sources:
https://www.childrenshospital.org/conditions-and-treatments/conditions/b/birth-defects-and-congenital-anomalies
https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/fulltext.asp?DocName=073500050K2-622