Esophageal atresia is a congenital defect of the digestive system characterized by the improper development of the esophagus, which is the tube that carries food from the mouth to the stomach. There are several types of esophageal atresia including one in which the upper esophagus does not connect to the lower esophagus and stomach. The upper esophagus is instead connected to the windpipe. Sometimes the esophagus is also narrowed, which makes it difficult for food to pass through the stomach.
Esophageal Atresia Causes
Clomid: Maternal use of the fertility drug Clomid has been shown to increase a baby’s risk of developing esophageal atresia by 2.3 times. This increased risk was indicated in the ongoing National Birth Defects Prevention Study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Treatment
Esophageal atresia must be corrected immediately before the lungs are damaged and so the baby can be fed. Surgery is performed to fix the condition. Before surgery, the baby cannot be fed by mouth and medical staff must make sure that breathing secretions do not enter the baby’s lungs.
Your Baby’s Rights
If your baby was born with esophageal atresia that may have been caused by exposure to prescription drugs before birth, your family deserves financial compensation. Although no amount of money will change what happened to your baby, compensation will help offset the current and future medical costs, as well as provide for the pain and suffering you and your baby have experienced. Filing a claim will also teach the manufacturers of unsafe medications that it is unacceptable to not warn parents of the risks associated with these drugs, including serious birth defects. Your suit may even prevent other families from suffering as yours has, by forcing the pharmaceutical company to change their drug’s label to warn parents of the potential risks.
Contact Us
You may be eligible for compensation to ease the financial burdens associated with your baby’s injury. Contact us today to set up a free consultation, during which we will listen to your story, answer any questions you may have and discuss your legal rights and options. If you choose us to represent you, we will work with you on a contingency fee basis; this means you pay nothing until we have secured compensation for you, either through a jury verdict or settlement.