A study of 200,000 women in 2010 has revealed that women who take proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) during the first trimester of their pregnancy are twice as likely to deliver babies with birth defects than women who have not taken the drugs.
PPI’s Can Cause Cardiac Defects
Prescription proton pump inhibitors include Nexium, Dexilant, Prilosec, Zegerid, Prevacid, Protonix, and AcipHex. Current over-the-counter proton pump inhibitors include Prilosec OTC, Zegerid OTC and Prevacid 24HR. The drugs are approved to treat disorders like gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), stomach and intestinal ulcers, and esophogeal inflammation.
The study was executed by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania, and led by Dr. Andrew D. Rhim. Rhim commented on the research he and his collegues presented at Digestive Disease Week just a year ago:
“We feel that our data … can have a large public health impact given the fact that GERD is so common during pregnancy.”
GERD is, in fact, very common during pregnancy, as 50% of women will suffer acid reflux during the gestational period. And while the prescriptions help an uncomfortable and painful condition, their safety regarding fetuses has never been definitively determined. As a class, PPIs work by stopping the release of stomach acid, which, without the assistance of a PPI, can rise up the esophagus and cause what we all know as the sensation of “heartburn.” A number of infants whose mothers took the heartburn medicines were born with cardiac abnormalities that included septal defects, left ventricular defects, and right ventricular defects.
Rhim offered an alternative to PPIs, after releasing the results of his study:
“One way to use this data to impact care would be to make sure that if physicians see pregnant women who complain [about GERD], they make sure those women are taking folic acid. That’s the only thing we know of that can decrease the risk of having a baby with cardiac birth defects.”
Birth Injury Attorneys in New Jersey and Philadelphia
If your child was born with a birth defect, or suffered birth injury due to delivery room negligence, contact the Mininno Law Office for a free case evaluation. You may also call for a free consultation at (856) 833-0600 in New Jersey, or (215) 567-2380 in Philadelphia. Let the birth injury lawyers at the Mininno Law Office work to earn you the full and fair compensation you need and deserve.
Dr. Paul Heltzer and the Staten Island University Hospital were found responsible for the speech probelms, learning disabilities, and reduced life expectancy that Xzavier now faces due to the extended period of time he went without oxygen on the day of his birth. 
The nursing home that we will discuss today is the Cumberland Manor nursing home located in Bridgeton, New Jersey. This nursing is a county government owned facility with 196 long term care beds. Medicare’s nursing home compare system gave this facility 2 out of 5 stars. This rating indicates that Cumberland Manor is a below average nursing home. 
Continuing our reports on average to low quality nursing homes in New Jersey, we have located a home in Union County with a well below average rating, according to the 
The Columbia Medical Center of McKinney (MCM) in McKinney, Texas is being sued by 
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 
On September 13, 2010, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Food and Drug Administration issued FDA Recall No. Z 2409 010 entitled “NexGen Complete Knee Solutions MIS Tibial Components, Locking Screw and Stem Extensions” recall notice. This recall notice can be found at the 
Knee replacement surgery, following the success and failures of hip replacement surgery, became more commonplace in the 1960s and the 1970s. It was billed as safe, effective, and an enormous benefit to any patient with osteoarthritis. Since that time, as with hip replacement surgery, knee replacement joint technology is constantly changing and modifying in an effort to improve patient outcomes in knee replacement patients. 
Birth Injuries that commonly occur include Cerebral Palsy, Erb’s Palsy, face paralysis, bruises and swelling, Shoulder Dystocia, and brain damage. These injuries are generally brought on by oxygen deprivation and doctor error. Oxygen deprivation is commonly caused by umbilical cord compression, the improper insertion of an oxygen tube, Meconium Aspiration Syndrome (the baby inahles it’s own fecal matter or amniotic fluid), or excessive time spent in the birth canal. 
The Holiday Care Center located in Toms River, New Jersey. This nursing home was inspected routinely on 9 occasions and cited for 40 deficiencies during the period from December 2008 through November 2010. It was also necessary for the NJ Division of Health Facilities and Evaluation and Licensing to conduct 10 complaint inspections with 5 more deficiencies cited during this time period. Some of these citations were for failing to keep the rate of medication errors (wrong drug, wrong dose, wrong time) to less than 5%, for failing to have a program to keep infection from spreading, and failing to make sure that a residents nutritional needs are being met. These types and amount of deficiencies are those that lead to nursing home abuse. Patients’ families must remain vigilant when their loved one is in a for profit nursing home such as Holiday Care Center, to make sure that they are being cared for in an acceptable and effective manner.