Aleve Birth Defects Lawsuit

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New research has found that women who take Aleve (generic: naproxen) and other similar non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) while pregnant face an increased risk of having babies with severe birth defects. Congenital abnormalities associated with the maternal use of Aleve include clubfoot, cleft palate, spina bifida, anophthalmia, microphthalmia, and amniotic band syndrome (ABS). Due to the catastrophic nature of these birth defects, expecting mothers have been advised to consult with their doctors before beginning a regimen of Aleve.

Aleve Birth Defects Update 4/6/12: NSAID pain relievers have been linked in a new CDC-funded study to an increased risk for several types of birth defects when taken by expecting mothers. In fact, this risk was doubled – and sometimes even tripled – when pregnant women took over-the-counter medications from the NSAID class. Click here to learn more.

Free Aleve Birth Defects Lawsuit Evaluation: If you or a loved one has a child who was diagnosed with any of the birth defects mentioned in this article after being exposed to Aleve in the womb, you should contact our law firm immediately. You may be entitled to compensation by filing a suit against the manufacturer of Aleve and we can help.

Aleve & Pregnancy

A new study, which was conducted by researchers at the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), compared the use of NSAIDs among 15,000 mothers whose children were born with birth defects with 5,000 women whose babies were born normal. The results found marked increases in a number of rare defects.

For example, the research identified the risk of children being born with cleft palate – a cranial malformation that occurs when part of the lip fails to completely fuse together in utero – jumped 50 – 80% in babies born to mothers who took NSAIDs during pregnancy. Spina bifida, a severe neural tube defect characterized by the failure of the backbone and spinal cord to close before birth, was shown to increase by as much as 60%. Additionally, infants born to mothers who took Aleve or aspirin were more than three times as likely to be born without eyes (anophthalmia), or with eyes that were abnormally small (microphthalmia).

Aleve is a common over-the-counter pain reliever that works by reducing hormones that cause pain and inflammation in the body. The drug contains 200 mg of naproxen and 20 mg of sodium (salt), which helps relieve pain faster than with naproxen alone. Aleve is effective for treating arthritis, headaches, muscle aches, pain from the common cold, and menstrual cramps.

In addition to Aleve, other drugs in the NSAID group include:

• Naproxen (Anaprox, Naprelan and Naprosyn)
• Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin)
• Rofecoxib (Vioxx)
• Diclofenac and Misoprostol (Arthrotec)
• Nabumetone (Relafen)
• Diclofenac (Cataflam)
• Celecoxib (Celebrex)
• Aspirin

Aleve Birth Defects

When taken by expecting mothers during pregnancy, Aleve has been associated with the following birth defects:
Amniotic Band Syndrome (ABS)

• Clubfoot
• Cleft Palate
• Spina Bifida
• Anophthalmia
• Microphthalmia

Aleve is currently classified as a Pregnancy Category C medication, which means that animal reproduction studies have shown an adverse effect on the fetus, and that there are no adequate, well-controlled studies in humans. If you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) advises you to consult your doctor before taking Aleve. Additionally, Aleve can pass into breast milk and has the potential to harm a nursing baby.

Do You Have an Aleve Birth Defects Lawsuit?

The Product Liability & Defective Drug Litigation Group at our law firm is an experienced team of trial lawyers that focus on the representation of plaintiffs in Aleve lawsuits. We are handling individual litigation nationwide and currently accepting new Aleve birth defects cases in all 50 states.

Free Aleve Birth Defects Lawsuit Evaluation: If you or a loved one has a child who was diagnosed with any of the birth defects mentioned in this article after being exposed to Aleve in the womb, you should contact our law firm immediately. You may be entitled to compensation by filing an Aleve birth defects suit and we can help.