Confusion Remains Regarding Medications During Pregnancy

As most women are aware, while pregnant a person is caring for the health of two people rather than one. Anything that a pregnant woman puts in her body can affect fetal development, and there is no exception to this rule for medications, whether over-the-counter or prescription. Drug manufacturers have a duty to warn people of any potential dangers associated with using their products, and this holds true for dangers associated with taking medication while pregnant.

Unfortunately, it is not always clear how a drug can affect a developing fetus, and dangers may not come to light until an injury has occurred. When this happens, a person may be able to recover through a defective drug or products liability lawsuit. Anyone who has a child born with birth defects or has prematurely died should contact an experienced Indianapolis personal injury attorney for a free consultation. An Illinois birth injury attorney may be able to help you hold the responsible parties liable and ensure that you receive compensation for your or your child’s injuries.

Some women continue to take medications before realizing that they are pregnant. Depending on the drug, it may be safer to continue taking it during pregnancy than to discontinue use. In addition, there is confusion within the industry as to the safety of using certain medications while pregnant.

Fortunately, there are steps women can take to reduce the risk of suffering adverse effects of medication use while pregnant. According to a guide published by Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA), if you are pregnant or planning on becoming pregnant, you should discuss the following issues with your physician:

• Medications that you are currently taking
• Medications to avoid
• Changing the dosage of your medication
• Taking vitamins during pregnancy
• Any other supplements you take or are considering taking

In addition to discussing these issues with your physician, the FDA also recommends that women read all drug labels carefully, report any problems they experience, and sign up with a pregnancy registry to help collect information about certain medications may affect pregnancy.

Don’t forget, if you were taking medications during pregnancy and you or your child suffered injury you may be entitled to substantial compensation. Injuries that newborns may suffer include issues with cognitive or physical development or various other kinds of birth defects. Because of the highly specialized legal and scientific issues that are raised in defective drug lawsuits, it is important to retain the services of an Indiana personal injury attorney who has experience handling these types of claims. A Chicago birth injury lawyer can help you determine whether you have a claim and also protect your legal rights. If there is already pending litigation regarding the drug that you were taking, you may be able to join a class action or multidistrict litigation with other plaintiffs who suffered similar injuries.