North Carolina Lawsuit Blames Zoloft for Baby’s Birth Defects

Zoloft, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor antidepressant (SSRI), has been name in a lawsuit that claims it caused a baby to be born with Zoloft birth defects, including the fatal condition Persistent pulmonary hypertension in newborns (PPHN), a serious respiratory disorder which could be suffered by a newborn after birth.  In some cases, PPHN could be caused by antidepressant side effects when the medications are taken during the pregnancy. On October 26, 2011, Amanda Brooke Pierce Phelps filed a Zoloft lawsuit against drug giant Pfizer in the U.S. District Court in the Southern District of New York seeking in excess of $75,000 in damages. The newborn was diagnosed as having Tetralogy of Fallot, truncus arteriosus, ventricular septal defect, atrial septal defect, confluent branch pulmonary arteries, pulmonary valve atresia and other cardiopulmonary defects that were allegedly caused by Zoloft side effects.

A number of other Zoloft birth defect lawsuits filed in recent months raise similar allegations that Pfizer failed to adequately warn about the risk of problems with their medication, and that the drug maker continues to refuse to properly warn pregnant women to avoid the antidepressant. The family alleges that Pfizer knew, but intentionally covered up, data for years that points to the conclusion that Zoloft is dangerous for pregnant women and their unborn children. Zoloft (sertraline) is a popular second-generation antidepressant introduced by Pfizer in 1991 for the treatment of depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder and anxiety. By 2007 there were nearly 30 million prescriptions, making it the most prescribed antidepressant in the United States.

Exposure to Zoloft during pregnancy may increase the risk that a child is born with certain birth defects or malformations, which may cause serious and potentially life-threatening health problems. Zoloft-induced Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension (PPHN) can result in circulation problems that may affect a baby’s ability to breathe outside the womb because it makes it difficult for oxygen to reach the bloodstream. While surgery can treat PPHN, the child may still be left with a lifetime of difficulties and problems from Zoloft, including a risk of other health issues. According to recent research, women taking Zoloft during the third trimester may face a six fold increase in the risk of persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn.