Zoloft Birth Defects in Review

The Food and Drug Administration warned about Zoloft and other SSRI birth defects risks in November of 2006, and many patients have been concerned about them ever since. Zoloft and other SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) drugs have been linked to a risk of serious birth defects, especially when they are taken in the first trimester of pregnancy. A number of patients who have seen the results of Zoloft birth defects firsthand have decided to consult a Zoloft lawyer and take legal action. 

There are a number of potential birth defects that might occur when a woman takes Zoloft for depression or other psychological conditions during pregnancy. These can include defects that affect a number of necessary systems and organs, including the heart, brain, and abdomen. 

Many of the Zoloft lawsuits that have been filed by parents of children with Zoloft birth defects include septal defects of the heart, which occur when a newborn has a hole in the wall between the upper or lower chambers of the heart. Other Zoloft heart-related birth defects may include Tetralology of the Fallot, which involves a hole between the left and right ventricles as well as a narrowing of the vital valve and artery that connects the lungs and heart. 

Blood vessel-related Zoloft birth defects can include patent ductus arteriosis, in which a blood vessel that is no longer needed after birth fails to close normally--symptoms of which can be fast breathing and shortness of breath in a newborn.

Birth defects of the brain or skull area are also very serious and can be linked to an expectant mother's Zoloft use. Craniosynotosis occurs when one or more sutures on a baby's head close earlier than they are supposed to, which can lead to an abnormally shaped head. Anencephaly is another birth defect, which is often fatal, that is marked by the failure of a large part of the brain or skull to fully develop.

Zoloft birth defects can be extremely serious or relatively easily remedied, but either way no parent wants to deal with the trauma and panic that can come with having a baby with birth defects. Newborns are very delicate and the care needed to treat them is much more significant than it is for adults. Treatment can be costly and babies born with birth defects could be affected for the rest of their lives.