Lamictal may cause birth defects

An announcement from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in September 2006, warned that Lamictal (lamotrigine), a drug used to treat seizures and depression, may cause birth defects.

Specifically, if a patient is pregnant and taking Lamictal during her first trimester, birth defects such as cleft lip or cleft palate are more likely to occur.

Findings from the NAAED (North American Antiepileptic Drug) Pregnancy Registry include the following:

Of the 564 infants born to mothers who took lamotrigine in their first trimesters of pregnancy and delivered between 1997 and March 1, 2006, 15 infants — or 2.7 percent — had major malformations that were identified between birth and five days, NAAED Pregnancy Registry found. Three infants had cleft palate and two others had cleft lip.

If you or someone you know has experienced side effects or adverse reactions to any defective drug, contact your doctor immediately. You also may want to consult a personal injury attorney to discuss your rights. For a free case evaluation, click on the form to the right of this page.