Codeine Birth Defects Lawsuit

A recent study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology found that expecting mothers who take codeine and other similar opioid pain medications during pregnancy have an increased risk of giving birth to babies with serious congenital abnormalities. Birth defects linked to codeine by the study include heart problems, spina bifida, and gastroschisis (a herniation of the intestines through the abdominal wall). The risk for these defects is greatest when codeine is taken during the first trimester of pregnancy, a time when many women may still be unaware they are pregnant.

Vicodin Update 1/25/13: This week, an advisory panel from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) voted in favor of moving Vicodin and other hydrocodone combination drugs into the more restrictive schedule II category of controlled substances. The panelists who favored tighter restrictions on the popular class of drugs believe they are pharmacologically similar and carry the same propensity for addiction as other opioid medications that fall into more regulated categories. Click here to learn more.

Codeine FDA Warning 8/15/15: The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) issued a press release today warning the public about deaths reported in children who had been given codeine following tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy procedures. The warning was issued after the FDA received at least three reports of death – as well as one near fatal case of respiratory depression – in pediatric patients who had their tonsils and/or adenoids taken out to treat sleep apnea syndrome. Click here to learn more.

Free Codeine 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 codeine in the womb, you should contact our law firm immediately. You may be entitled to compensation by filing a suit against the manufacturer of the codeine pain reliever and we can help.

What is Codeine?

Codeine is a widely-used narcotic pain reliever and cough suppressant that is structurally similar to morphine and Vicodin (hydrocodone). Like morphine, codeine binds to opioid receptors in the brain that transmit the sensation of pain throughout the body. The drug works to:

increase tolerance to pain
decrease discomfort
cause sedation
depress breathing

Codeine can be used alone or in combination with Tylenol or aspirin for more effective pain relief. In addition to being used as a pain medication, codeine is also commonly used to treat diarrhea and diarrhea predominant irritable bowel syndrome.

Codeine Birth Defects

A new study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) analyzed the use of codeine and other opioid drugs in expecting mothers during the first trimester of pregnancy, and found a significantly increased risk of giving birth to babies with the following adverse congenital abnormalities:

Heart Defects
Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS)
Ventricular Septal Defects (VSDs)
Atrial Septal Defects (ASDs)
Tetralogy of Fallot (ToF)
Right Ventricular Outflow Tract Obstructions (RVOTOs)
Pulmonary Valve Stenosis
Gastroschisis (herniation of the abdominal wall)
Glaucoma
Hydrocephaly
Spina Bifida

The new research, which is set to be published in a forthcoming edition of the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, is the largest ever to focus on the maternal use of opioids during pregnancy. The results of the study are particularly troubling due to the fact that painkillers like codeine were previously thought to be safe for pregnant women to use.

Codeine Heart Defects

Congenital heart defects occur when there is an abnormality in any part of the heart that is present at birth. These defects typically begin to manifest themselves in the first trimester of pregnancy, when the heart is still forming. Each year in the United States, approximately 35,000 infants are born with congenital heart defects. Signs and symptoms of a codeine-induced heart defect may include:

bluish skin color (cyanosis)
cold hands and feet (extremities)
lethargy
poor pulse
poor suckling and feeding
pounding heart
rapid breathing
shortness of breath

Codeine and Pregnancy

The safety of codeine during pregnancy has not been established by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA). However, codeine should generally be avoided by pregnant women due to the fact that the drug may cause birth defects. Additionally, small amounts of codeine may be secreted into breast milk, so nursing mothers should not take the drug when breastfeeding a baby.

Do You Have a Codeine 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 Codeine birth defects lawsuits. We are handling individual litigation nationwide and currently accepting new heart defects, glaucoma, hydrocephaly, and spina bifida cases in all 50 states.