Recent studies have confirmed that the popular antidepressant Zoloft (sertraline) can cause severe heart, lung, cranial, and abdominal birth defects when taken by pregnant women. Some of the most common Zoloft-related defects are Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension, Septal defects (holes in the heart wall), Omphalocele (ruptured abdominal wall), and Craniosynostosis (sutures on infant’s head close too rapidly). Overall, the use of Zoloft by a pregnant woman doubles the infant’s risk of cardiac malformations and triples the infant’s risk of cardiac septal defects. Other noted defects include, but are not limited to, Esophageal Stenosis, Clubfoot, and Spina Bifida.
Zoloft is in a class of drugs called Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRI) used to treat depression and anxiety disorders. SSRIs work by regulating the rate at which the brain’s synapses reabsorb released serotonin such that the serotonin remains in the synaptic gap for an extended period of time, theoretically causing improvements in the patient’s mood. There are several popular SSRI drugs on the market, including Paxil, Prozac, and Lexapro, and taking any one of them during pregnancy can cause severe birth defects.
If you or a family member took Zoloft or another SSRI during pregnancy and gave birth to an infant with severe birth defects, you may be entitled to monetary compensation. For more information about your legal rights, please
contact one of our experienced Zoloft litigation attorneys for a free and confidential consultation at 215-972-1376, ext. 2.