In February, 2011, C. Nadebaum and a British research team published a piece in Neurology titled “Language skills of school-aged children prenatally exposed to antiepileptic drugs.” that provides important insight into the connection between antiepileptic drugs containing sodium valproate (Depacon, Depakene, and Depakote) and birth defects.
Nadebaum et al. (2011) state “Fetal exposure to some antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) carries increased risk of major birth defects, and may be associated with reduced intellectual abilities. The impact on language remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the impact of fetal AED exposure on language skills.”
Studying language skills of “102 AED-exposed children” and comparing results to a control group, the team found that “Mean CELF-4 Core Language scores of children exposed to sodium valproate in monotherapy (mean 91.5, SD 17.5) or polytherapy (mean 73.4, SD = 22.3) were significantly below the standardized test mean of 100 (p < 0.05).” This means that babies with Depacon exposure had significantly lower language skill later in life.
The team also found that babies exposed to several other antiepileptic drugs had normal language skills. And, “First-trimester sodium valproate dose was negatively correlated with language scores, and significantly predicted language scores after controlling for other group differences.”
Because Abbott Laboratories, the company that makes Depacon, Depakene, and Depakote, has failed to warn women of the risk for birth defects, Depacon birth defect lawsuits have been filed in great number over the last several years.
If you or a loved one used Depacon, Depakote, or Depakene during pregnancy and your child was born with a birth defect, you may be entitled to significant financial compensation. For a free, no-obligation case consultation, contact our team of Depacon birth defect lawyers at the information provided below. We have the experience, resources, and skills required to win the justice you deserve. Call today and see how we can help.
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Our Depacon Lawsuit Information page is a great place to start if you have any questions about Depacon.