There are some conditions that – because they are so rare – are largely brushed off as something that “just happens.” Unfortunately, it is only when that something happens to our family that we begin to sit up and take notice of something that may have never before crossed our mind. Such is the case with a very rare but serious condition known as Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension in Newborn – or PPHN.

PPHN affects newborn babies – inhibiting their otherwise natural ability to begin pumping blood to their lungs following birth. The blood, once at the lungs, is oxygenated and then moves on, delivering oxygen to vital organs in its travels through the bloodstream. When this ability is thwarted and oxygen is not able to travel throughout the body, the condition is known as PPHN. While many believe that PPNN “just happens” and certainly not often enough to be alarming, consider the fact that PPHN is linked to the taking of one of the most popular drugs being prescribed today - Paxil®.

Paxil® has been used for many years – safely – to control the effects of depression and anxiety. But it has been determined that there are serious side effects contributed to Paxil® use during pregnancy; one such side effect is PPHN. It has been found that women who take Paxil® during pregnancy are nearly six times as likely to give birth to a child who suffers from PPHN. Those statistics are hard to ignore and certainly should not be brushed off as something that “just happens.”

Paxil® attorneys in California who work every day with families affected by PPHN, are bringing these cases to court – and subsequently to light. The goal is more than just to get these families financial awards – although this is important in the face of medical costs and loss of wages for parents who stay with their babies in the hospital. The goal is also to get the word out to the public and help change the way we look at otherwise safe pharmaceuticals being taken during pregnancy.

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