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NYC Birth Injury Lawyers discussed a recent study that uncovered possible risks to pregnant women when they take opioid painkillers, which is found in codeine and oxycodone.
“It seems there is a small risk for birth defects associated with these pain medications,” a doctor said. “It looks like only certain birth defects were a common factor in the study.”
Statistics say that approximately 3 percent of U.S. babies are born with a malformation, including cleft palate, heart defects and spina bifida. Brain Injury is something that all doctors and hospitals in Staten Island and Westchester County are aware of.
A doctor explained that birth defects are the number cause of untimely deaths for infants. Smoking and drinking alcohol while pregnant has long been linked to increased risks of having a baby with birth defects, but most of the time, the cause of birth defects is unknown.
He went on to say that these studies on opioid painkillers certainly continue the debate on whether they are a contributing factor to birth defects but they still can’t seem prove cause and effect.
“Previous studies have had some inconsistent findings, whereas some have suggested that opioids would increase the risk for heart defects and oral clefts.”
“This current study included data on more than 17,000 women in 10 different states who gave birth to a baby with a birth defect between 1997 and 2005.” He added, “And the results are interesting for sure.”
The study included about 7,000 women who lived in a similar areas and had babies around the same time and revealed that the drugs were linked to certain birth defects but not others. “Mothers of babies born with spina bifida were twice as likely to have taken these medications as women whose babies didn’t have a birth defect”, said a Lawyer.
For birth defects, including cleft lip and cleft palate, there was no relationship to a mother’s medication history, which, experts say just means more research needs to take place.
NYC Birth Injury Lawyers said that doctors believed the risks were low enough that women could still take these painkillers. Most of the time the painkillers benefits outweigh the risks.
“Women just need to be made aware of the risks before they take these drugs, and that’s what these studies hope to accomplish,” concluded a Lawyer.
Does your child suffer from a birth defect because of a medication you were prescribed while pregnant? NYC Birth Injury Attorneys will help you and your family through this difficult case. NYC Birth Injury Attorneys will argue your side so you are compensated and can make things right.The Office of Stephen Bilkis and Associates can offer you support and guidance as well as a free consultation when you contact us at 1-800-NY-NY-LAW. We have offices in N York City, including Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, Staten Island and The Bronx and in Nassau County, Suffolk County and Westchester County.