Children born with a heart defect, lung defect or other congenital birth defects have possibly been linked to use of the antidepressant drug Zoloft. Research suggests serious Zoloft side effects, including the increased risk of congenital heart defects and lung defects. This link between Zoloft and congenital heart defects and congenital lung defects has many concerned that pregnant women should not be prescribed Zoloft while pregnant. SSRIs like Zoloft have been linked to increased risk of Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn (PPHN).

Antidepressant Drugs Include:

What is Zoloft?

Zoloft (Generic: Sertraline) is an antidepressant in a group of drugs called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Zoloft affects chemicals in the brain that may become unbalanced and cause symptoms. Zoloft is used to treat depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder, anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). The FDA approved Zoloft, manufactured by Pfizer, for depression in 1992, for OCD in 1996, for PMDD in 2002, and for SAD in 2003. Pfizer’s Greenstone also manufactures and markets Zoloft under the Greenstone Brand.

Zoloft Heart Defects

SSRI antidepressants like Zoloft, Zoloft Greenstone, Prozac, Paxil and Celexa have been linked to cases of serious congenital heart defects, which may include atrial septal defects (ASD), ventricular septal defects (VSD) a heart defect, tetrology of fallot (ToF) a heart defect, hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) a heart defect, transposition of the great arteries (TGA or TOGA) a heart defect, patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) a heart defect, total anomalous pulmonary venous return (TAPVR) a heart defect, double outlet right ventricle (DORV) a heart defect, and coarctation of the aorta (CoA) a heart defect. In many heart defect cases, surgery is required when the child is very young (first three years of life) and then again, potentially multiple times, as the child grows to adulthood. Most congenital heart defect cases are treatable when they are diagnosed and addressed early on. Children with a heart defect may then be able to lead a mostly normal and productive life following medical attention. In some cases with a heart defect, the only viable option to correct these severe heart defects and preserve the child’s life involves a heart transplant.

In 2005, a Danish study indicated that pregnant women prescribed SSRI antidepressant medicines like Zoloft in early pregnancy may have increased risk of giving birth to infants with a congenital heart defect. In this study, infants exposed to SSRI antidepressants like Zoloft, Prozac and Paxil during the first 3 months of pregnancy had a 60 percent higher chance of developing congenital heart defects compared with infants whose mothers did not take Zoloft or other SSRI antidepressants.

It is also known is that there is a strong link between other SSRI antidepressants other than Zoloft and other congenital malformations, including lung, cranio-facial and abdominal wall malformations. A study conducted at Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark, revealed that the risk of pregnant women giving birth to babies with congenital defects, including heart defects and other defects, was increased among women who had prescriptions for SSRIs filled in the 30 days before conception through the end of the first trimester, compared with those who had no SSRI prescriptions filled during the same period.

The FDA has categorized Zoloft as a “Category C” drug, in terms of pregnancy risk, which means that animal studies may indicate fetal harm from maternal use of the drug. Human trials have not yet been conducted that determine that the risks of using Zoloft during pregnancy outweigh the drug’s intended benefits.

Women who are taking SSRI antidepressants, including Zoloft, and are pregnant or thinking about becoming pregnant should speak with their doctor about the risks of a heart defect associated with taking Zoloft or any other SSRI antidepressant while pregnant. There are risks associated with taking Zoloft while pregnant, and there may also be concerns about abruptly discontinuing Zoloft or other SSRI medications. All risks of a heart defect should be discussed with a physician and balanced against the possible benefits of taking Zoloft.

Zoloft Class Action Heart Defect Lawsuit vs. Individual Lawsuit

There are distinct differences between a Zoloft (sertraline) class action heart defect lawsuit and a more typical individual Zoloft heart defect lawsuit. A Zoloft class action heart defect lawsuit would be a form of Zoloft lawsuit in which a large group of people (Zoloft plaintiffs) collectively bring a Zoloft heart defect lawsuit to court in the form of a “class action” against the manufacturers of Zoloft (defendant). In a Zoloft class action heart defect lawsuit involving personal injury, resulting from defective products such as antidepressant SSRI drugs like Zoloft (sertraline), Paxil (paroxetine), Prozac (fluoxetine) and Celexa (citalopram), all Zoloft lawsuit plaintiffs would typically be grouped together into a single Zoloft class action lawsuit, regardless of the degree or severity of their Zoloft birth defect injuries. In this type of Zoloft class action lawsuit, Zoloft plaintiffs with injuries ranging from minor heart murmurs not requiring surgery, all the way to the most severe congenital Zoloft heart defects, requiring multiple surgeries or even a complete heart transplant, would be grouped into one single Zoloft class action lawsuit. All Zoloft plaintiffs in the class would equally share any award or settlement resulting from the Zoloft class action lawsuit.

In Zoloft lawsuits involving catastrophic injury or death, an individual Zoloft lawsuit, in most cases, is more appropriate and in the Zoloft plaintiff’s best interest. Anti-nausea drugs like Zofran, Seizure drugs like Topamax and Depakote and SSRI antidepressants like Zoloft, Prozac, Celexa and Paxil (paroxetine), have been linked to severe congenital heart defects, including: atrial septal defects (ASD – hole in the heart), ventricular septal defects (VSD – hole in the heart), tetrology of fallot (ToF), hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS), transposition of the great arteries (TGA or TOGA), patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), total anomalous pulmonary venous return (TAPVR), double outlet right ventricle (DORV), and coarctation of the aorta (CoA). Zoloft cases such as these are better suited to an individual Zoloft lawsuit because of the severity and degree of injury to the Zoloft plaintiff. In an individual Zoloft Lawsuit, each Zoloft plaintiff’s case is filed, presented and considered individually, based on its own strength and degree of injury.

In many cases involving SSRI antidepressants like Zoloft, Prozac, Celexa, Paxil and the serious congenital heart defects related to these SSRI antidepressants, heart defect surgery is required. Heart surgery will typically be required when a child is an infant or toddler and then again, potentially multiple times, as the child grows to maturity. In many cases, with surgery and medical care, children born with a heart defect may be able to lead mostly normal and productive lives. An individual Zoloft heart defect lawsuit allows each Zoloft victim, their heart defect injuries and their future needs to be considered on an individual basis when determining damages, awards and settlement amounts, and not as part of a Zoloft class action lawsuit.

See also: Zoloft Heart Defect Lawsuit

Zoloft Autism

A recent study published by Archives of General Psychiatry has found a link between antidepressant use during pregnancy and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Pregnant women taking Zoloft antidepressants during the first trimester of pregnancy may triple the chances of their child having Zoloft autism. This study was prompted when researchers noticed a rise over the past few years in the use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor antidepressant (SSRIs) and an increase in Zoloft autism diagnoses.

Zoloft Autism Side Effects

• Autism from Zoloft
• ASD – Autism Spectrum Disorder
• PDD – Pervasive Developmental Disorder
• PDD – NOS – Pervasive Developmental Disorder – Not Otherwise Specified

If you or a loved one took Zoloft while pregnant and have a child that may suffer Zoloft autism or other Zoloft birth defects, contact our law firm immediately to discuss the legal options available to you and your family.

See also: Autism Lawsuit: Antidepressants During Pregnancy Increase Autism Risk

Speak to a Zoloft Lawyer

If you took Zoloft or generic sertraline during pregnancy and your child was born with a heart birth defect or a lung birth defect, we encourage you to contact a Zoloft heart defect litigation attorney at our law firm immediately. It may be too late to recover from the devastating effects of Zoloft heart defects, but an experienced products liability Zoloft attorney at the Willis Law Firm can assist you in legal action against the makers of Zoloft. You are not alone. Join other Zoloft heart defect, Zoloft lung defect, and other Zoloft birth defect victims and their families in speaking up and fighting for your legal rights.

Zoloft Lawsuit

Please fill out our free online legal evaluation form and we will contact you within 24 hours. Please keep in mind that certain states have statutes of limitation that limit the amount of time you have to file a lawsuit or seek legal action. Contact a Zoloft heart defect lawyer at our law firm immediately so we may explain the rights and options available to you and your family.