There is no one more vulnerable on this earth than a newborn baby. They turn to us to meet all of their basic needs – food, warmth, sustenance on every level. When we are unable to meet their needs it is among the most heartbreaking and frustrating events in any parent’s life. Such is often the case when children are born with life-threatening conditions such as PPHN – or Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension in the Newborn.

PPHN refers to the condition wherein a newborn is unable to begin normal respiratory function that typically happens upon birth. Until they enter the world, babies in their mother’s womb receive their oxygen straight from their mother through the umbilical cord, from where they receive all the nutrients necessary for survival. But once born, the cord is cut and babies begin breathing on their own; their arteries expand and blood is pumped to the lungs where it becomes oxygenated. Oxygen is then delivered throughout the rest of the body by way of the bloodstream. With PPHN, however, the newborn’s arteries remain constricted and blood is not pumped as it should be to the lungs. The results can be disastrous and even result in complete respiratory failure from which the newborn does not recover.

Most upsetting is the fact that PPHN can be caused by the mother’s taking of a very common drug prescribed in modern times - Paxil®, a Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI) that is used to treat depression and anxiety.

Fueled by the need to seek answers for their child’s condition, many parents turn to Paxil® attorneys in California – a group that is already doing much work in the world of the Paxil®/PPHN connection. Through Paxil® attorneys in California parents are able to seek the financial restitution they need to help fund the medical treatment of their child. Further, through Paxil® attorneys in California parents are able to inform other expectant families about the dangers of PPHN.

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