Birth Defects From Topamax

Posted by Lawsuit Information on July 29th, 2015

You may have never heard of topamax but it is a drug that is given to people who have migraines and who have seizures. It is considered an anticonvulsant drug. Compared to other antiseizure medicines on the market, it is associated with more birth defects. Unfortunately it can also have many harmful effects for the mother. This drug has been categorized by the FDA as a D risk drug which means that is will increase the risk of birth defects.

This is not just a slight risk. It was found that the risk for birth defects in the unborn child is 16 times higher than if the mother was not taking Topamax or one of the generic equivalents of topiramate. There is a 9% risk in having a birth defect if taken during pregnancy. This is higher than other antiseizure medicines and keep in mind that healthy women who aren’t on these drugs are only at a 1-2% chance of having birth defects. To make matters worse, women have had suicidal behaviors, glaucoma, neuropsychological effects, cognitive effects and other serious issues.

The most common birth defects include cleft lip and cleft palate as well as persistent pulmonary hypertension in the newborn. Other birth defects that have been linked to Topamax include genital malformations which is known as hypospadias. This defect requires surgery because the urethra opening will be on the bottom of the penis making it look hooded and making urine spray. This can even cause problems with sexual intercourse later on in life.

Other birth defects from this drug that have been reported include migraines, diabetes and epilepsy which can be caused by major congenital malformations as previously discussed. Other complications include various heart defects, lung defects, limb deformities, spina bifida, various heart defects, neural tube defects as well as persistent pulmonary hypertension in the infant.

Cleft lip and cleft palate are malformations of the mouth and skull. This can lead to many complications such as infection, malnutrition and speech impediments. Because the lips are used to create suction in nursing or bottle feeding, the child may have trouble feeding and getting it’s proper nutrients. Fluids may leak to other areas and cause infection as well. Fixing this problem requires many expensive surgeries and is traumatizing for the child and family.

Currently Janssen Pharmaceuticals which is a subsidiary of Johnson and Johnson is the manufacturer of Topamax. This company has been the subject of many lawsuits for other dangerous drugs and had many high dollar settlements. They actually control 21% of the epilepsy drug market according to drugwatch.com. In Philadelphia in 2013, a judge awarded million to one family and million to another family for lawsuits filed against Topamax.

If you or a loved one took topamax and the infant has birth defects, you shouldn’t hesitate to have a free consultation with a lawyer to get compensation. If you’re taking the drug or a generic equivalent and become pregnant, you must inform your doctor immediately so you can find an alternative solution.