A Washington Clomid lawsuit may be an option for patients who have suffered severe side effects after taking the fertility medication. For some women, becoming pregnant can be a challenge that requires medical assistance. There are currently many different types of fertility treatments available, but the first step for many couples may be the use of ovulatory stimulants. However, Washington Clomid lawsuit attorneys note a possible association between the drug and certain birth defects, especially those affecting the head, heart, and digestive system.
For more information, contact Attorney Group for Washington. We offer free, confidential, no obligation consultations. We can help answer your questions, and if you choose to pursue a case we can connect you with an affiliated Clomid lawsuit attorney who can assist you throughout the legal process.
What is Clomid?
Clomiphene, also known as clomifene and prescribed by their brand names Clomid and Serophene, is a non-steroidal fertility medication, commonly used to stimulate and trigger ovulation. Despite the effectiveness of the medication to treat infertility, there have been a number of side effects and risks associated with its use. Examples of Clomiphene risks and side effects include nausea, multiple pregnancies, birth defects, abnormal vaginal bleeding, breast discomfort, and hot flashes.
Why are Women Prescribed Clomid?
Clomid is used to promote ovulation in women struggling with fertility, according to Drugs.com. In order for pregnancy to occur, a woman must ovulate and release an egg that can be fertilized. The pituitary gland is responsible for the release of hormones that make ovulation occur. Clomid works by making the gland think that it needs to release an increased amount of hormones, which results in the growth of follicles in the ovary and the discharge of an egg.
According to the Mayo Clinic, there are several factors that can cause infertility in women, many of which include problems with ovulation, such as polycystic ovary syndrome. Generally, if a couple is unable to become pregnant within a reasonable period of time, a doctor may prescribe Clomid to see if stimulated ovulation results in a successful outcome.
Birth Defects Associated With Clomiphene
Between the years of 1997 and 2011, researchers performed a study on birth defects in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control performed the National Birth Defects Prevention Study, and it was determined that there are several birth defects that could be connected to the use of clomiphene before and early on in pregnancy, including the following:
- Craniosynostosis
- Anencephaly
- Coarctation of the aorta
- Septal heart defects
- Omphalocele
- Esophageal atresia
Other, rarer birth defects were also found to have a possible link to Clomid use, including cloacal exstrophy, muscular ventricular septal defect and Dandy-Walker malformation. Most of these birth defects affect the heart or the brain, and could result in life-long challenges for families and children affected.
Clomid and Autism
In 2010, TIME magazine reported on a study performed by researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health in which it was discovered there may be a link between autism and Clomid or other similar fertility medications. The study was presented at the International Meeting for Autism Research and reported findings showing that babies born to women who used Clomid to induce ovulation had two times the risk of having autism than children of women who did not use fertility medication. In addition, those women who took Clomid for a longer period of time increased the likelihood of having a child with autism even more.
The FDA’s Response
While the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not issued a recall of Clomid, it has required Sanofi, the drug maker, to update its labeling information to include possible fetal abnormalities including Down syndrome, cleft lip and palate, club foot, congenital heart lesions, and spina bifida, among others. The FDA received reports of these abnormalities after its approval of the drug.
Clomid Lawsuits Filed
Many of the lawsuits pending against the manufacturer of the fertility drug Clomid have similar claims. In one case, a Utah woman and her now-grown son allege that the drug maker failed to provide adequate warning of the risk of birth defects that could be the result of becoming pregnant while using the drug. The woman claims that she took Clomid in order to become pregnant, but that the medication remained in her system throughout the pregnancy, resulting in the development of malformations of her son’s arm that required surgery.
The Attorney Group for Washington can connect you with an experienced Clomid lawyer who can help you throughout the legal process.
How a Washington Clomid Lawsuit Can Help
Drug makers have a duty to provide safe products. If there are risks of harm associated with their products, they also must provide adequate warnings. If a drug maker fails to fulfill this duty, it could be held liable in lawsuits for injuries that may result.
People injured by Clomid may be eligible to recover money for:
- Medical Expenses
- Lost Wages
- Pain and Suffering
The families of those who have died may be eligible to recover money for funeral expenses and the pain that comes with losing a loved one.
The Time You Have to Pursue a Claim is Limited. Contact Us Today.
For more information, contact Attorney Group for Washington. You can fill out the form on this page or contact us by phone or email.
After you contact us, an attorney will follow up to 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.
