The world of pharmaceuticals in our country is so complex – and inherently so overwhelming – that many of us simply fail to understand the ramifications of certain medications. The complexity of the drug industry as a whole is probably most evidenced – in layman’s terms – by the commercials that they air during our prime time shows; glossy human interest advertisements that showcase a consumer and how their life has changed with the help of this particular medication – only to bombard us within seconds with a list of possible side effects, read at an auctioneer’s pace.

If pharmaceuticals – and their litany of side effects – are difficult to sort through under normal circumstances, it stands to reason how much more challenging they can be during pregnancy, when there are a variety of other things to consider. The fact is that when our doctors tell us that something is safe to take during pregnancy, we tend to believe them. And so it happens that pregnant women everywhere are still taking Paxil® during pregnancy – even when reports have surfaced concerning the strong connection between Paxil® use and a condition known as PPHN.

Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension in the Newborn (PPHN) is a rare condition that affects a newborn’s otherwise normal ability to pump blood to their lungs where it becomes oxygenated. When a baby is born their arteries expand and they – for the first time – began breathing on their own. PPHN restricts the arteries of these newborns and does not allow the blood to pump freely to the lungs. The result can be respiratory distress and even failure.

The most alarming fact is that the incidences of PPHN are nearly six-fold when a pregnant woman takes Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) such as Paxil® - drugs that treat depression and anxiety and have done so safely under all other conditions.

Paxil® attorneys in California that work with families affected by PPHN understand that it is about more than just meeting that particular family’s needs – although that is the priority. Paxil® attorneys in California understand that in representing a case such as this in court there is a greater good that can come from it – delivering much needed information to society at large.

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