Zoloft® continues to be one of the most commonly prescribed antidepressants in the world, despite evidence that it can harm an unborn fetus if taken during pregnancy.
Zoloft® belongs to a class of antidepressants known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which affect the neurotransmitters in the brain. Other popular SSRIs include Lexapro®, Celexa®, Effexor® and Prozac®.
Since 2005, evidence linking SSRIs to birth defects has been mounting. Heart defects, abdominal wall defects, head and skull defects and limb malformations have been reported by mothers who took SSRIs such as Zoloft® during their pregnancies.
Then, in 2006, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a public health advisory notifying the public about the risk of a serious lung defect called persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN) in babies whose mothers took SSRIs while pregnant.
The FDA said in the advisory that it based its information on data from a study that was published in the Feb. 9, 2006 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
“In this study PPHN was six times more common in babies whose mothers took an SSRI antidepressant after the 20th week of the pregnancy compared to babies whose mothers did not take an antidepressant,” the agency said in the alert.
If you were given Zoloft® or another SSRI antidepressant while you were pregnant and your baby is born with PPHN or another serious birth defect, you may be entitled to compensation. To schedule a free case review, contact Flood Law Group, LLP today.
