ZOLOFT® BIRTH DEFECTS
Zoloft®, also known as sertraline, is a drug taken to treat a variety of conditions, such as depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and social phobia/social anxiety disorder.
Zoloft has been on the market since 1991 and belongs to the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor class of pharmaceuticals (SSRIs), which are mood regulation drugs that have come under increased scrutiny because of their link to serious, adverse side effects.
SSRI antidepressants can cause serious or life-threatening lung problems in newborn babies if the mother is taking the drug through out the pregnancy. However, you may have a relapse of depression if you stop taking your antidepressant during pregnancy. If you are planning a pregnancy, or if you become pregnant while taking Zoloft, do not stop taking the medication without first consulting with your doctor.
Is Zoloft dangerous?
According to The New England Journal of Medicine, the use of Zoloft during the first trimester of pregnancy was associated with an increased risk of major congenital malformations affecting the heart, intestines, and limbs of newborn babies.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) also reports that one study showed infants born to mothers who took SSRIs after the 20th week of pregnancy were six times more likely to have persistent pulmonary hypertension (PPHN) than infants born to mothers who were not taking antidepressants through out the pregnancy.
What is persistent hypertension of the newborn (PPHN)?
Mothers who take SSRI drugs like Zoloft may have a child born with this serious condition, which occurs when a newborn is unable to adapt to breathing outside the womb. This results in the child suffering from abnormal blood flow through the heart and lungs, leading to a lack of oxygen supplied to the rest of the body. Babies with PPHN can become very sick, and the condition may be fatal.
What should I do if my child was born with a birth defect or PPHN?
Don’t cease using any prescribed drug without consulting the prescribing doctor. If you or a loved one had a child born with birth defects or PPHN, while taking Zoloft, contact us immediately for a free and confidential case evaluation.
Zoloft® is a registered trademark of Pfizer Inc. and is used here only to identify the product in question.
This website is not associated with, sponsored by, or affiliated withThe New England Journal of Medicine, Pfizer Inc., or the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.