There is a generation of Americans that are completely convinced that everything out of a doctor of medicine’s mouth is the absolute truth. This is not to say that doctors would knowingly deceive us; only to say that they may not always have all the answers and it is up to us as patients to be advocates for our own healthcare. Such generations were taught that what their doctor says goes and that to ask questions or bring up concerns would only serve to undermine their authority and offend them. Today’s patients have come to learn that in order to have all the information they must ask all the questions; and that their doctor – while certainly highly qualified – may not have all the information that they need to help them make the most informed decisions.

This way of thinking will help protect us from those possibilities we may not even be aware of; including a condition known as Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn or PPHN.

Women who are pregnant – or are considering a pregnancy – will certainly visit their doctor to help them achieve a healthy pregnancy and delivery, followed, of course, by a healthy baby. Unfortunately, however, sometimes pertinent information is left out and pregnant women are instructed to engage in what can ultimately be risky behavior. For instance, the taking of Paxil®, while an otherwise safe medication that is used to treat depression and anxiety, during pregnancy can result in a women have an elevated risk of giving birth to a child with PPHN.

PPHN is a rare condition but nonetheless it can be extremely serious and even fatal. Children with PPHN are born typically without incident but following their birth they are unable to begin breathing normally on their own. The arteries that would otherwise carry blood to and from the lungs in the body’s normal oxygenation process remain constricted (as they are when the baby is in the womb) and blood flow is inhibited. The result of PPHN can be a variety of organ failures and even respiratory failure.

Paxil® attorneys in California work with those who have been impacted with PPHN so that the proper information can reach those women who need it the most.

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