Cardiac Anomalies Associated With Zoloft

The risk of birth defects from SSRI’s (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) antidepressant, such as the popularly prescribed Zoloft, has been a concern for several years. In 2006, the FDA released a public health advisory that antidepressant side effects could cause serious injury to infants if taken by the mother after the 20th week of pregnancy, including a six-fold increase in the risk of the child suffering from Zoloft PPHN. In 2009, a study found that use of SSRI antidepressants, such as Zoloft, during the first three months of pregnancy could double the risk of septal heart defects in newborns. Persistent pulmonary hypertension in newborns (PPHN) may be caused as a side effect of Zoloft, and other SSRI drugs, when taken after the 20th week of pregnancy.  In November 2006,

the FDA issued a public health advisory indicated that the use of Zoloft or other SSRI antidepressants by pregnant women could lead to a six times greater risk of the birth defect.

PPHN is a serious and potentially fatal condition for the infant where they may become hypoxic because of abnormal blood flow to the heart and lungs. The manufacturer’s prior failure to warn of this possible antidepressant side effect may have caused unnecessary injuries for newborns. In recent months, a growing number of Zoloft lawyers have been advertising for potential claims through pay-per-click advertisements on Google and other search engines, as well as television advertisements, indicating that children born with birth defects after the mother used the medication during pregnancy may be eligible to pursue a Zoloft lawsuit for compensation.

When used during the first trimester, a time when many women do not even know they are pregnant, newborns may face an increased risk of cardiac anomalies or heart defects from Zoloft. According to research, women given Zoloft during the first three months of pregnancy may face a four-fold risk of giving birth to a child with a heart defect and twice the risk of a septal heart defect from Zoloft when compared to women not taking an antidepressant. The most common Zoloft heart problems for babies that have been found to occur are ventricular or atrial septal defects, which involve holes in the heart walls that allow blood to flow from the left side of the heart to the right, reducing the heart's efficiency.