PPHN | Birth Injury

Investigating PPHN Birth Injury & delivery malpractice cases

Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn is a critical medical condition with lifelong consequences for many children. While some cases are unavoidable, others stem from preventable medical mistakes. When hospitals or providers fail to recognize risks, respond to warning signs, or manage deliveries properly, families have the right to pursue legal action.

The Lyon Firm stands ready to help families across Ohio and nationwide explore their options, hold negligent parties accountable, and secure the justice their children deserve.

Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn (PPHN) Lawsuits

Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn (PPHN) is a rare but dangerous birth complication that affects how a newborn’s circulatory system adapts to life outside the womb. In a healthy transition, a baby’s lungs expand and blood flow shifts to provide oxygen through breathing. In cases of PPHN, this process is disrupted, leaving the infant’s body with dangerously low oxygen levels.

The effects can be devastating, often leading to developmental delays, long-term neurological problems, or even death if not treated quickly. Because oxygen deprivation plays a central role in the condition, doctors must act promptly and carefully. When medical providers fail to monitor and treat newborns properly, families may have grounds to pursue legal action.

Primary pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN) is a birth defect defined as the failure of the normal circulatory transition occurring after birth. The syndrome is characterized by pulmonary hypertension that causes hypoxemia. Infant survivors of PPHN birth injury are at risk of serious developmental disabilities—long-term cognitive problems such as a learning disability, autism, or ADHD.

PPHN affects normal breathing, which presents obvious risks. The longer an infant is deprived of oxygen, the more hypoxic the baby’s blood becomes. Oxygen deprivation can cause the victim’s brain to react adversely, leading to death or severe injuries.

Joe Lyon is a highly-rated attorney representing plaintiffs nationwide in a wide variety of civil litigation claims against pharmaceutical companies, and medical professionals responsible for children born with injuries.

Causes and Risk Factors

PPHN can arise from several conditions, but many cases are linked to preventable medical mistakes. Common risk factors and causes include:

• Labor and Delivery Complications – Prolonged labor, meconium aspiration, or birth trauma may increase the risk.
• Maternal Health Issues – Conditions such as diabetes, preeclampsia, or infections during pregnancy.
• Medication Exposure – Research indicates that late-pregnancy use of certain antidepressants (SSRIs) may heighten the chance of PPHN.
• Inadequate Monitoring – Failure to track fetal distress or oxygen levels during labor can lead to missed opportunities for intervention.

When these risks are ignored, infants may suffer avoidable harm that could have been prevented with proper medical care.

SSRI Drugs & Other Risk Factors

PPHN, or persistent fetal circulation syndrome, usually occurs in full-term babies or babies who were born at 34 weeks or more. These babies often have other types of breathing conditions.

During pregnancy, babies get oxygen from their mother and the placenta. PPHN occurs when the blood vessels do not open up enough, and there is a limit on how much oxygen is sent to the brain and organs. There is a suspected increased risk of Primary Pulmonary Hypertension birth injury if the mother is taking selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) during the last trimester of pregnancy.

Untreated depression in pregnant women can pose serious risks, though the alternative of taking selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) may increase the risk of PPHN and other birth defects of the heart and abdominal cavity.

A report in a 2006 edition of the New England Journal of Medicine describes a link between the maternal use of SSRIs (including Paxil) and PPHN. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) revised its warnings on SSRI drugs accordingly. Other factors that may increase the infant’s risk of developing Primary pulmonary hypertension include:

• Meconium aspiration—this happens when the baby breathes in its own meconium
• Infection
• Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS)—this breathing difficulty happens in infants who do not have fully developed lungs
• Lack of oxygen before or during birth

Legal Rights and Compensation

Families facing the challenges of PPHN often deal with overwhelming medical expenses and uncertainty about their child’s future. A lawsuit can provide accountability and financial support. Compensation may cover:

• Ongoing and future medical treatment
• In-home nursing or therapy services
• Special education and support needs
• Loss of future earnings for the child
• Pain, suffering, and diminished quality of life

In states like Ohio and beyond, medical malpractice laws allow parents to seek justice when negligence causes preventable harm. Most cases require expert medical testimony to prove negligence and link it directly to the child’s condition.

Symptoms of Primary Pulmonary Hypertension

Symptoms of PPHN may include the following:

• Rapid or slow breathing, grunting, and retracting
• Bluish color to the skin
• Hands and feet cool to the touch
• Low blood pressure throughout the body
• Low blood oxygen levels
• Asphyxia
• Tachypnea, respiratory distress
• Respiratory acidosis
• Loud, single second heart sound or a harsh systolic murmur
• Low Apgar scores
• Meconium staining
• Poor cardiac function and perfusion
• Systemic hypotension
• Symptoms of shock
• Acute perinatal distress

PPHN Treatment

PPHN is most often recognized in term or near-term neonates, but it can occur in premature newborns. In contrast to adult primary pulmonary hypertension, the newborn condition is not defined by a specific pressure of the pulmonary circulation. The diagnosis is confirmed regardless of the pulmonary arterial pressure, as long as it is accompanied by a right-to-left shunt and absence of congenital heart disease.

The treatment strategy for PPHN is aimed at maintaining adequate systemic blood pressure, decreasing pulmonary vascular resistance, ensuring oxygen release to tissues, and minimizing lesions induced by high levels of inspired oxygen and ventilator high pressure settings. General management principles include the following:

• Continuous monitoring of oxygenation, blood pressure, and perfusion
• Maintaining a normal body temperature
• Correction of electrolytes and glucose abnormalities and metabolic acidosis
• Nutritional support
• Minimal stimulation and handling of the newborn
• Minimal use of invasive procedures
• Medical therapy

Medical Negligence in PPHN Cases

While not every case of PPHN results from malpractice, negligence is a factor in many lawsuits. Examples include:

• Failing to monitor fetal distress during labor and delivery
• Mismanaging high-risk pregnancies
• Ignoring clear signs of oxygen deprivation in a newborn
• Delaying treatments such as ventilation support or ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation)
• Prescribing medications that increase the likelihood of PPHN without adequate warnings

Birth defects take a significant toll on the health industry and on families across the country. The out-of-pocket medical costs for an infant with any birth defect can be enormous and families can be faced with huge lifestyle changes, lost wages, and long-term personal care costs for disabled children.

If your child has suffered PPHN that may be linked to the use of a prescribed drug, you may seek compensation and may have a rightful claim against the drug makers or healthcare professionals responsible. The Lyon Firm is committed to recovering medical costs and proper compensation for the suffering and emotional pain that comes from birth defects and birth injuries.