Zoloft Lawsuits Over Birth Defects on the Rise

Women and families are filing suit against antidepressant drug Zoloft in record numbers after it was linked to a series of serious Zoloft birth defects. This SSRI drug is the most popular anti-depressant medication in the world, which can also be used to treat other conditions, including anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder, post traumatic stress disorder, and panic attacks. These are among the most common psychological disorders known, and millions of people worldwide are affected by them. As the number of users of medications like Zoloft continues to rise, so do the instances of serious side effects of Zoloft, of which birth defect is among the most concerning. Although Zoloft carries a warning label advising patients not to use it in the first three months of pregnancy, this was not always the case.

The Food and Drug Administration first released warnings about Zoloft birth defects along with drugmaker Pfizer in September of 2005. The only birth defects mentioned in this specific warning were cardiac birth defects, some of the most serious Zoloft has been linked to. Zoloft heart defects can

include holes in the heart and other congenital malformations and usually manifest in women taking Zoloft in the first trimester of pregnancy. For some women and their children, this announcement came too late, and many decided to take legal action in order to get some kind of compensation for their medical bills and personal suffering.

The warning of cardiac birth defects as a side effect was applied to Zoloft warning labels in February of 2006, and five months later the Food and Drug Administration issued another Zoloft warning – this time for an increased rate of persistent pulmonary hypertension in newborns. Severe cases of this condition can result in infant death. Additional lawsuits were filed following this announcement.

Other side effects, including abdominal and cranial defects (omphalocele, craniosynostosis, cleft palate), neural defects (anencephaly, spina bifida), and physical defects such as club foot have all been reported as Zoloft birth defects, but are not listed on the warning label. Many people who have had a newborn suffer these birth defects are taking action against drugmaker Pfizer by filing a Zoloft lawsuit. Patients who have had a child affected by Zoloft birth defects may want to talk to a legal expert about any questions they might have.