Zoloft

Zoloft Highlights

Pregnant women are taking four or more medications.
Food and Drug Administration recommends Zoloft only be used if the benefits greatly outweigh the possible risks.
Zoloft use by the expecting mothers has been associated with infant heart and lung malformations.

Lawsuits and Investigations

About Zoloft

The FDA recognized studies documenting birth defects with the use of Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) known as anit depresants and issued a warning in 2005. Zoloft is one of three SSRIs the Mayo Clinic still lists as "Consider as an option during pregnancy." Although Paxil has very similar side effects it is currently recommend to be avoided. The Food and Drug Administration classifies Zoloft in the pregnancy class C and recommend it only be used if the benefits greatly outweigh the possible risks. Despite continuing evidence that this drug increases the risk of birth defects in children and several FDA warnings Pfizer the manufacturer of Zoloft has yet to warn patients of the possible danger.

Medication use by pregnant woman in the first trimester increased by more than 60% in the past thirty years. A Boston University School of Public Health study also noted that many pregnant women are taking four or more medications. Anti depressant are the most commonly prescribed classes of medications with in the entire U.S. population. Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health notes much of this growth was concentrated among people with less severe and poorly defined mental health conditions. Anti depressants are being prescribed as a catch all for various mental symptoms. Often patients including pregnant women are unnecessarily exposed to possible side effects and may not experience any proven health benefits.

If you or someone you know has taken Zoloft while pregnant you may be entitled to a cash settlement. Please complete the form and one of our attorneys will contact you, or call 1-800-LAW-FIRM now.

Conditions Caused By Zoloft

Documented occurrences of malformation of the heart and lungs in the fetus or a type of heart and lung disorder called persistent pulmonary hypertension (PPHN) at birth may be associated Zoloft. PPHN can lead to complications and even death. Zoloft also may contribute to complications for babies exposed later in the pregnancy. At birth the baby may experience difficulty breathing or feeding, irritable mood and impaired or excessive muscle tone and movement. These reactions may be side effects to the drug or to the withdrawal of drug.

There are several conditions that indicate that your baby may have heart or lung defects. Please call a doctor immediately if your baby is experiencing grayish-blue skin color, difficulty breathing, cold hands and feet, unusual drowsiness, inactivity, shortness of breath, fast breathing, poor eating habits, fatigue, blue tinge to the skin and lips or slow growth. Other, more serious symptoms include swelling in the legs and feet, abdomen, fluid retention, and rapid or irregular heartbeat, murmurs, shortness of breath, chest pain or loss of consciousness.

Side Effects & Symptoms

Arterial Septal Defects and Ventricular Septal Defects (Hole in the Heart): Defects in which there is a hole between two chambers of the heart. Septal defects can lead to the improper circulation of blood, making the heart work overtime. Surgery is sometimes necessary to repair the defect and prevent future complications.
Coarctation of the Aorta: A form of heart defect in which a narrowing of the aorta occurs. The heart needs to pump harder to force blood through the narrow part of the aorta. If Coarctation of the Aorta is not treated it may lead to heart failure and death.
Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS): A rare congenital defect in which the left side of the heart is severely underdeveloped. The right side of the heart is forced to pump blood to all the major organs and the rest of the body. This condition is treated with surgery or a complete heart transplant and requires constant care under a cardiologist.
Pulmonary Atresia: A birth defect in which the pulmonary valve of the heart does not form properly. A solid sheet of tissue forms where the valve should be and blood cannot flow from the right side of the heart to the lungs to pick up oxygen. This condition requires immediate attention. Treatment options include heart catheterization, open-heart surgery, heart transplant, and in some cases, a lifetime of medication.
Pulmonary Stenosis: A heart defect in which the pulmonary valve of the heart is malformed. The result of this condition is that the malformed valve slows the flow of blood from the heart to the lungs and may require corrective heart surgery.
Ebstein Malformation (Ebstein’s Anomaly): A rare congenital defect in which the wall that separates the upper heart does not close completely. Less severe instances of this heart defect only require careful monitoring by a cardiologist but moderate to severe cases may require heart surgery.
PPHN: A condition that occurs when an infant’s arteries to the lungs remain constricted after delivery, limiting the amount of blood flow to the lungs and therefore the amount of oxygen into the bloodstream.
Spina Bifida: A serious defect resulting in surgery and a lifetime of suffering and special needs. There is good scientific evidence showing that serotonin and SSRIs adversely impact the complex processes by which neural crest cells form the neural tube.
Tetralogy of Fallot: A heart defect usually characterized by a ventricular septal defect (hole in the heart), a right ventricular outflow tract defect such as pulmonary stenosis, and an overriding aorta. The result of this condition is usually cyanosis within the first year of life and open heart surgery is required.
Tricuspid Atresia: A birth defect in which the tricuspid heart valve is missing or abnormally developed. The result of this birth defect is that blood can’t flow through the heart and into the lungs to pick up oxygen. The treatment for this condition is surgery, and in some cases, several surgeries to treat the defect.
Transposition of the Great Vessels: A birth defect in which the pulmonary and aorta arteries of the heart are switched. This results in a shortage of oxygen in the blood. Treatment for this birth defect is corrective surgery and is usually performed within the first few weeks of life.

Warnings & Recalls

On December 8, 2005, the FDA issued a Public Health Advisory warning that use of certain antidepressants during the first trimester of pregnancy. U.S. and Swedish studies showed that exposure to certain antidepressants increased the risk of cardiac defects.

The FDA issued a Public Health Advisory for Zoloft and several other antidepressants on July 19, 2006, warning that taking these drugs during pregnancy could increase the risk of persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn. A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2006 found that babies born to mothers who used an SSRI antidepressant in the second half of pregnancy were six times more likely to be born with this serious lung disorder.

The New England Journal of Medicine documented a “significant association” between Zoloft and septal defects in a 2007 study. A septal defect is a congenital defect that affects the structures of the heart and can be life threatening. According to the study, mothers who took Zoloft during their pregnancy could double the risk of having an infant born with septal defects.