Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS) Lawsuit

Important Drug Alert: Antidepressant use by pregnant women has been linked to an increased risk of hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) in children born to women who took the drugs while the child was in utero. HLHS birth defects cases require attorneys experienced in the litigation of defective drug claims.

What is HLHS?

Hypoplastic left heart syndrome is a congenital birth defect that involves a combination of several abnormalities of the heart and great blood vessels. In HLHS, most of the structures on the left side of the heart are small because they fail to fully develop. The degree of underdevelopment differs from child to child, but the structures affected usually include the mitral valve, left ventricle, aortic valve, and aorta.

HLHS Linked to Antidepressants

Unfortunately, many antidepressants have been linked to cases of serious congenital heart defects like hypoplastic left heart syndrome. In most cases of HLHS, surgery is required when a child is an infant and then again, potentially multiple times, as the child grows to maturity. Children may be able to lead mostly normal and productive lives following constant medical attention.

Which medications may lead to the condition?

The following antidepressants have been associated with the development of HLHS in children born to mothers who took them during pregnancy:

HLHS Symptoms

A newborn with HLHS will typically show telltale signs and symptoms soon after birth including:

Lethargy
Poor suckling and feeding
Shortness of breath
Rapid breathing
Cold extremities
Enlarged liver
Poor pulse
Pounding heart
Bluish (cyanosis) or poor skin color
Sudden death

If you’d like additional information on hypoplastic left heart syndrome, please visit the Mayo Clinic website to learn more.

Do I have an HLHS Birth Defects Lawsuit?

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