Zoloft In The 3rd Trimester & Pulmonary Hypertension (PPHN)
The Antidepressant Zoloft has been linked to an increased risk of serious and potentially deadly birth defects when taken during pregnancy. Children who are born to women that used Zoloft while pregnant may be up to six times more likely to suffer from heart defects or other congenital birth defects.
One study found that if taken during the third trimester of pregnancy, SSRIs (antidepressants such as Zoloft in the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor category) can increase the risk of the baby being born with pulmonary hypertension, a serious lung problem that can lead to brain problems, heart problems, developmental problems and even death. The UC San Diego study was published in 2006 in the New England Journal of Medicine; results showed that women who take SSRIs such as Paxil, Celexa, Prozac and Zoloft after week 20 of pregnancy have a six-fold increase of having a baby with persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN). In July 2006, the FDA issued a public health alert about the risks of taking SSRIs such as Zoloft during pregnancy. PPHN is rare and serious and involves the newborn not receiving enough oxygen in the blood.
•· According to the UCSD study, babies born with PPHN were six times more likely than healthy babies to have been exposed to SSRI antidepressants after the 20th week of pregnancy.
•· Researchers looked at 377 mothers with babies born with PPHN and discovered that 14 had taken antidepressants in the second half of their pregnancies.
•· The control group looked at 836 mothers with normal babies and found that only 6 had taken antidepressants.
•· The incidence of PPHN went from 1 to 2 / 1,000 births to 6 to 12 / 1,000 births when mothers took the SSRIs.
Zoloft use during the first trimester of pregnancy has been linked to increased risk of omphalocele (abdominal wall) birth defects, anal atresia (malformation of the anus), limb reduction defects, and septal (heart) defects. Infants exposed to Zoloft in utero may also experience withdrawal (neonatal abstinence syndrome) after birth.
Zoloft: FDA Pregnancy Category C
The FDA’s pregnancy categories give healthcare providers and patients a system by which to evaluate the risks of drugs during pregnancy. Drugs are classified as A, B, C, D and X; drugs in the A category show no risk to the fetus, and drugs in category X show that the drug causes fetal abnormalities and is a teratogen. Zoloft is in category C, which means that there are adverse effects of the drug on the fetus in animal studies and that there are no studies in humans. Thus Zoloft use during pregnancy requires more study because there are risks that should be investigated. Many women who took Zoloft and who were not aware that their babies could be born with PPHN or another birth defect are outraged. Many babies have lost their lives unnecessarily, and families will forever mourn the loss of their children so soon after birth.
Zoloft (sertraline) is a Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressant that has been linked with birth defects if taken during pregnancy. If you or a loved one took Zoloft while pregnant and your baby was born with a birth defect such as PPHN, contact our law firm today for a free and confidential consultation. Perdue Kidd & Vickery works to protect your family's legal rights. Call 1(877) 833-7475 or fill out our online form today.
