What is Pulmonary Atresia?
Pulmonary atresia (PA) is a defect in which the valve that lets blood flow from the lower right chamber (right ventricle) of the heart to the lungs (pulmonary valve) has not formed correctly or is closed (atresia). Pulmonary atresia is a rare congenital heart defect, meaning that it is a defect that develops during prenatal growth.
While still in the womb, the baby receives oxygen from the placenta before the lungs begin to function. Normally, blood from the right side of the infant’s heart passes through a hole that allows oxygen-rich blood to flow to the left portion of the heart and throughout the infant’s body. After birth, the hole closes as blood instead flows through the newborn’s lungs to provide it with oxygen. In infants with pulmonary atresia (PA), the closed valve does not allow the infant’s heart to pump blood to the lungs to gain oxygen. The blood must get to the lungs via an alternate route to provide oxygen to the child.
Symptoms of Pulmonary Atresia (PA)
Most infants that have pulmonary atresia exhibit symptoms during the first few hours of life. However, some infants don’t show signs of pulmonary atresia (PA) until a few days after birth. Some possible signs and symptoms of pulmonary atresia (PA) may include:
- Tiring easily while feeding
- Bluish skin tone
- Fast breathing
- Working hard to breathe
Causes of Pulmonary Atresia (PA)
Pulmonary atresia (PA) tends to occur during fetal growth when the infant’s heart is still developing. The use of certain antidepressants such as Wellbutrin during all or part of the pregnancy may significantly increase the risk of a congenital heart defect such as pulmonary atresia (PA).
Wellbutrin Birth Defects Lawsuit: Speak to an Attorney
Many new parents ask themselves what was the cause of my child’s birth defects? Did it happen during pregnancy? The antidepressant Wellbutrin may be linked to causing the development of birth defects in unborn babies, infants, and children when their mothers took antidepressants while pregnant.
Our law firm is handling individual birth defect lawsuits against drug and pharmaceutical companies and currently accepting new Wellbutrin cases across the nation. If your child was born with a birth injury that you believe may have been caused by taking an antidepressant like Wellbutrin during pregnancy, then you should contact our law firm as soon as possible for a free confidential review of your potential birth defect lawsuit case. All cases are handled on a Contingency Fee Basis (no attorney’s fees or expenses charged unless we recover for you.