Minor birth defects are abnormalities that do not cause serious health or social problems. When multiple birth defects occur together and have a similar cause, they are called syndromes. If two or more defects tend to appear together but do not share the same cause, they are called associations.

• Topical (local) corticosteroids
  
• • Taken by mom in the first trimester of pregnancy, babies may be born with cleft lip.
    
    
• Thalidomide
  
• • Known to cause defects of the arms and legs; several other types also cause problems.
    
    
• Anti-Seizure Medications
  
• • Examples: Depakote, Tegretol, Dilantin, Lamictal
  • It was widely reported in 2004 that the incidence of birth defects in children born to women taking the anti-seizure medication Depakote, were at significantly higher risk of baby’s death, serious birth defects, and developmental delays, walking and speech delays.
  • Other medications having similar risks, but without as high of incidence rates, were Tegretol, Dilantin, and Lamictal.
    
    
• Acne & Skin Drugs
  
• • Accutane (also known as isotretinon, Amnesteem, and Claravis) have been reported to be very dangerous in the early stages of pregnancy.
    
    
• Psoriasis Medication
  
• • Soriatane (acitretin) may be harmful years before pregnancy.
    
    
• Heart Medications
  
• • Blood Pressure | ACE inhibitors - or drugs used to treat high blood pressure in the mother - can damage the unborn baby’s kidneys or cause death when taken during the pregnancy.
  • Other risks to the unborn child are heart defects and nervous system defects.
  • Examples of these drugs are:
    
  • • Aceon (perindopril)
    • Accupril (quinapril)
    • Capoten (captopril)
    • Enalopril
    • Lotensin benzepril
    • Mavik (trandolapril)
    • Monapril (fosinopril)
    • Univasc (moexipril)
    • Vasotec (enlapril)
      
• Cholesterol-Lowering Drugs | Statin
  
• • The class of prescription medications called statins (e.g. atorvastatin, simvastatin, lovastatin), which are used for lowering cholesterol, are reported to increase the risk of devastating birth defects in newborns.
  • Among these birth defects are central nervous system abnormalities and irregular arms or legs.
    
    
• Cytotec
  
• • drug used to ripen the cervix for birth, the drug can cause hyperstimulation, resulting in premature delivery, birth defects, or death
    
    
• antibiotics
  
• • Certain antibiotics are known tetratogens.
  • Tetracycline affects bone growth and discolors the teeth.
  • Drugs used to treat tuberculosis can lead to hearing problems and damage to a nerve in the head (cranial damage).
    
    
• Anti-Psychotic and Anti-Anxiety Drugs
  
• • Several drugs given for anxiety and mental illness are known to cause specific defects.
    
    
• anti-Neoplastic agents
  
• • Drugs given to treat cancer can cause major congenital malformations, especially central nervous system defects.
  • They also may be harmful to the health care worker who is giving them while pregnant.
    
    
• Hormones
• • Male hormones may cause masculinization of a female fetus.
  • A synthetic estrogen (DES) given in the 1940s and 1950s caused an increased risk of cancer in the adult female children of the mothers who received the drug.
    
    
• Dietary Supplement | Health Supplement
  
• • There can be dangerous effects upon the unborn child and resultant birth defects.

Toxic Chemicals

Environmental chemicals such as pesticides and fungicides are suspected of causing, or known to cause, birth defects.

Farm Worker Exposure to Pesticides

Farm workers are at great danger due to exposure to toxic pesticides. Children born to mothers and fathers who work on farms often suffer extreme birth defects. The EPA has confirmed this link, "Studies evaluating the role of pesticides in birth defects have established a connection between maternal and paternal exposure to pesticides and greater dangers of offspring having or dying from birth defects."

Pesticides contain toxins that can eventually harm unborn children and newborns.

EPA’s Worker Protection Standard (WPS)

Farming companies have a responsibility to protect workers from dangerous pesticides. The Worker Protection Standard (WPS) protects agricultural employees from occupational exposure to agricultural pesticides.

Standards include protection during applications, restricted-entry intervals, personal protective equipment, and notification to workers about treated areas, decontamination supplies, emergency assistance, pesticide safety training and safety posters, and access to labeling and site-specific information.

Exposure to Occupational Radiation

Exposure of the mother to high levels of radiation can cause small skull size (microcephaly), blindness, spina bifida, and cleft palate. How severe the defect is depends on the duration and timing of the exposure.

This can certainly be of concern to health care workers in hospitals and private offices, such as radiology technicians, dental hygienists and technicians - anyone routinely exposed to x-rays or radiography or nuclear medicine equipment.

Birth Defect Product Liability

Serious birth defects can be permanent conditions that alter the course of the baby’s life, as well as that envisioned by the family. Early intervention, adaptive lifestyle changes, education, therapy, and other involvements can certainly make life rewarding for the child afflicted with a critical birth defect.

A severe personal injury or wrongful death caused by a drug may result in a drug product liability claim. Similarly a toxic substance or chemical which results in birth injury may be grounds for a product liability claim. In a birth defect product liability claim, you and your injured child may be eligible for compensation for your severe harms and losses.

If you or your loved one has suffered a permanent, devastating, birth defect, birth injury, personal injury or wrongful death in the family caused by a prescription drug, toxic substance, toxic chemical, or radiation at work, then please contact a personal injury lawyer at our firm to seek justice on your behalf.
 
We may team up with, co-counsel, or jointly prosecute, your serious personal injury claim or wrongful death claim with another product liability attorney whom we know and trust. We are sensitive to your needs, share your values, and work hard for you and your family to secure justice.