A study suggests a correlation between Clomiphene, also known as clomifene and distributed under the names Clomid and Serophene, and certain congenital birth defects, including defects affecting the brain and the heart. Parents and families of affected children may be eligible to file an Iowa Clomid lawsuit and seek compensation for their injuries.
For more information, contact Attorney Group for Iowa today. Our consultations are free, confidential and without any obligation on your part. We can help answer your questions, and if you choose to pursue a claim we can connect you with an affiliated attorney who can assist you throughout the legal process.
What is Clomiphene?
Clomiphene is a prescribed medication used to help women produce eggs and ovulate more regularly. Despite the drug’s ability to increase ovulation in women who are unable to generate eggs, there are a number of side effects and risks related to the use of Clomiphene. Examples of Clomiphene risks and side effects include nausea, vomiting, risk of multiple pregnancies, birth defects, unusual vaginal bleeding, breast discomfort, and hot flashes.
How Does Clomiphene Work?
Clomiphene is a commonly prescribed fertility medication used to stimulate ovulation in women who are unable to produce eggs but wish to become pregnant. The treatment works in a similar way as estrogen, signaling the pituitary gland to release more hormones. Clomiphene can also be prescribed as an off-label medication to treat a lack of testosterone production in men known as hypogonadism. “Off-label” treatments of clomiphene have not been tested or approved by the U. S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat male infertility.
Clomiphene Birth Defect Risks
A study reported on by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), using data from the National Birth Defects Prevention Study (NBDPS), suggests a correlation between clomiphene use and serious birth defects, including abnormal development of the brain and skull. According to the report, children of mothers who said they used clomiphene more often than mothers who did not risked being affected by the following birth defects:
- Anencephaly: unusual development of the brain and the bones of the skull
- Septal heart defects: a congenital heart defect in which an abnormal connection between the heart’s lower chambers develops, resulting in a hole in the heart
- Coarctation of the aorta: narrowing of the aorta, a large blood vessel that carries oxygen-rich blood to the body
- Esophageal atresia: a rare birth defect in which the baby is born without part of the esophagus, the tube that connects the mouth to the stomach
- Craniosynostosis: one or more of the joints between the bones of a baby’s skull close prematurely
- Omphalocele: a birth defect in which the intestines or abdominal organs are located outside of the body due to a hole in the navel area
The CDC also reported that clomiphene was also correlated (in a very small number of cases) with the following birth defects:
- Dandy-Walker malformation: brain malformation of the cerebellum and the fluid-filled areas surrounding it
- Muscular ventricular septal defect: heart defect in which there is a hole in the wall (ventricular septum) that splits the two lower chambers (ventricles) of the heart
- Cloacal exstrophy: a rare malformation of the large intestine, bladder, and genitalia
Fertility Drugs and Autism
In 2010, a study conducted by a team of researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health reported an association between ovulation inducing drugs and autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Researchers determined that the use of fertility drugs should be regarded as a possible risk factor for ASD in subsequent studies. According to an article in Time reporting on the study, the association between ovulation-inducing drugs such as Clomid and autism appeared to intensify with exposure.
Other Clomid Side Effects
According to the FDA, other side effects have been reportedly linked to pregnancies following ovulation induction therapy with Clomid during clinical trials:
- Cleft palate
- Visual disorders
- Club foot
- Harelip
- Multiple pregnancy
- Down syndrome
- Spina bifida
How an Iowa Clomid Lawsuit Can Help
Drug manufacturers have a duty to ensure their products are accompanied by full and accurate instructions and warnings to guide prescribing doctors and other health care providers in making treatment decisions. If a drug maker fails to fulfill this duty, it could be held liable in lawsuits for injuries that may result.
Patients who are injured by Clomid may be entitled to compensation for damages, including:
- Medical expenses
- The permanency of the injury
- Pain, suffering, and mental anguish
- Loss of income or ability to work
If a patient dies from complications after taking Clomid, family members may be entitled to compensation for the wrongful death of their loved one, including:
- Conscious pain and suffering of a loved one prior to death
- Pain, suffering, and mental anguish from the loss of a loved one
- Funeral expenses
Patients who have suffered severe side effects after taking Clomid, as well as the families of those who have died as a result of complications with the drug, are encouraged to seek the advice of an Iowa Clomid lawsuit attorney to learn more about their rights and remedies.
Contact Us For More Information.
For more information, contact Attorney Group for Iowa. You can fill out the form on this page, call us at the number listed at the top of the page, or email us at info@attorneygroup.com.
When you contact us, an attorney will follow up with you to speak with you about your case or answer questions that you might have. There is no cost or obligation to speak with us, and any information you provide will be kept confidential.
Please note that the law limits the time you have to pursue a claim or file a lawsuit for an injury. If you think you have a case, you should not delay taking action.
See our Frequently Asked Questions page for more information, and contact Attorney Group for Iowa today.
