Dapakote and pregnancy

1. The drug Depakote (sometimes called divalproex sodium or valproate semisodium) is used for the treatment of manic episodes of bipolar disorder and epilepsy. The side effects of Depakote are claimed to be numerous and they include spina bifida. This has lead to a number of Depakote lawsuits which includes a Depakote lawsuit class action in the United Kingdom. Depakote Lawsuit If you have had a child that has suffered from the side effects of taking Depakote which include a cleft palate, Spina Bifida or any other kind of malformation then contact highly experienced Depakote attorneys so they can assess your case.

2. Dapakote Side Effects Five hospitals in the Boston area conducted a study over 7 years analyzing over thousand single births. It concluded that 20% of babies had major birth defects where the mother had taken anticonvulsant drugs (including Depakote) when they were pregnant. If more than one anticonvulsant drug was taken by the mother while pregnant then they were 24% more likely to experience fetal trauma. The most common birth defect found in the studies was Spina Bifida. This was particularly prevalent in mothers that had taken both the Depakote and carbamazepine drugs often to control mood swings. Pregnant women who suffer from bipolar need to take these studies seriously. Some of the drugs for epilepsy tested in these studies can also be taken to stabilize moods and for migraine headaches so they need to be aware of the potential Depakote side effects.

3. Dapakote And Pregnancy The most dangerous side effects of the drug are in the potential damage to the unborn fetus. There is risk to pregnant women, women likely to become pregnant or those that are nursing. Taking Depakote during pregnancy can cause any of the following: • Death of the fetus • Spina Bifida (where the spinal column fails to completely enclose the spinal cord) • Cleft palate • Malformations of the hands • Testes that do not descend • Dysplastic ribs (the ribs are abnormally developed) • Hypsoplastic right heart (the right side of the heart is undeveloped) • Hypospadia (the urethra opening in male babies is in the wrong place)

4. Dapakote Birth Defects Using Depakote in pregnancy has been associated with a number of birth defects. This is more likely if the drug is taken in the first trimester. There is a 1-2% risk of Spina Bifida occurring in the babies of mother’s that took valproic acid when they were pregnant. A study showed that if the mother’s took valproic acid during their first trimester it was 12.7 times more likely that their babies would develop Spina Bifida than babies of mothers who had not taken it.

5. Depakote Lawsuit lawsuitsmedical.com