Atrazine Exposure May Cause Birth Defects. Parker Waichman LLP is currently investigating an association between choanal atresia or stenosis birth defects and exposure to atrazine, the most commonly used herbicide in the United States, most notably in corn crops. Speak with your doctor if your child has choanal atresia or choanal stenosis and you were exposed to atrazine during pregnancy. Parker Waichman offers free legal advice to women who suspect that their child developed choanal atresia or stenosis due to prenatal exposure to atrazine. If your child developed choanal atresia or stenosis and you were in contact with high levels of atrazine or live in an area with high levels of atrazine use, our attorneys would like to speak to you.
What is Choanal Atresia/Stenosis?
Choanal atresia is a nasal abnormality where the nasal passage is narrowed or blocked by tissue. Choanal
stenosis is a milder form of choanal atresia. As a congenital condition, choanal atresia and stenosis are present at birth. The condition can be unilateral or bilateral, meaning that it can affect one or both nostrils, respectively. Bilateral choanal atresia can lead to fatal complications because babies are obligate nasal breathers, meaning that they must breathe through their noses. Infants with bilateral choanal atresia may need airway resuscitation shortly after they are born. Choanal atresia may lead to aspiration and respiratory arrest.
According to MedlinePlus, females have double the risk of developed choanal atresia; the condition affects 1 out of every 7,000 births and is the most common nasal abnormality among newborns.
How Do I Know If My Child has Choanal Atresia or Stenosis?
Signs of choanal stenosis include:
- Difficulty breathing after birth
- Inability to breathe and feed simultaneously
- Persistent one-sided nasal blockage or discharge
- Retraction of the chest when child cries or breathes through the mouth
Infants with bilateral blockage may have difficulty breathing at birth and experience cyanosis (turning blue) unless they receive oxygen through the mouth by crying. These babies may need to be resuscitated at delivery.
Research Links Choanal Atresia and Stenosis to Atrazine
According to study published in The Journal of Pediatrics, women who live in areas with high levels of atrazine use are 80 percent more likely to deliver an infant with choanal atresia or stenosis. Researchers believe that atrazine may be connected to this birth complication by disrupting the body’s endocrine system, which plays an essential role in secreting hormones.
Need Legal Help Regarding Atrazine Exposure?
The personal injury attorneys at Parker Waichman LLP offer free, no-obligation case evaluations. For more information, fill out our online contact form or call 1-800-YOURLAWYER (1-800-968-7529).
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