Sertraline, more popularly known by its brand name Zoloft, is a type of antidepressant medication called a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor. Unfortunately, several reputable medical research studies have linked this popular drug to higher rates of congenital heart defect if taken during a pregnancy. Currently, Zoloft as well as several other similar medication are characterized as Pregnancy Category C by the United States Food and Drug Administration, which means that although they may have demonstrated harm to a fetus in animal reproductive studies, they are still able to be prescribed to pregnant women. When a woman gives birth to a child with a Zoloft heart defect, sometimes she will decide to file a lawsuit against the manufacturer of the drug in order to help her pay for the various medical and emotional costs associated with the injury.

Zoloft Heart Defect Studies

Studies have shown that if a woman takes Zoloft while pregnant, the concentration of the drug in the blood at the time of birth indicates that the baby was exposed to about 1/3 of the drug that the mother took. A 2007 study performed by the New England Journal of Medicine suggests that taking an SSRI antidepressant (like Zoloft) while pregnant increases the risk of congenital heart defect by 2.7 times. Another 2005 Danish study also found that taking an SSRI like Zoloft during the first trimester of pregnancy increased the risk of congenital heart defect by an alarming 60%. The risk varies depending on the specific type of Zoloft heart defect, and unfortunately heart defect is not the only birth injury that has been associated with Zoloft.

Types of Zoloft Heart Defects

Pfizer’s Zoloft antidepressant has been linked to many different types of heart defect as well as other congenital birth injuries. Some of the most frequently reported Zoloft heart defect problems include, but are not limited to the following:

Pulmonary/Tricuspic Atresia

Atrial/Ventricular Septal Defect

Tetralogy of Fallot

Pulmonary Valve Stenosis

Transposition of the Great Arteries

Coarctation of the Aorta

Patent Ductus Arteriosus

Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome

In addition to heart defect, Zoloft has also been linked with abdominal wall defects, lung defects, limb defects, Autism spectrum disorders, and cranial/skull birth defects as well.

File a Zoloft Heart Defect Lawsuit: Speak to an Attorney

Was your child or the child of a loved one born with a heart defect after prenatal exposure to Zoloft or another SSRI antidepressant medication? If so, call the Willis Law Firm today because you and your child may have a legal entitlement to financial compensation through filing a Zoloft Heart Defect Lawsuit. Our firm is currently accepting birth defect clients on a national scale for the following antidepressant medications: Zoloft, Effexor, Prozac, Celexa, and Paxil. Call us today, so we can provide you with an initial case evaluation completely free of charge or obligation; all Zoloft cases are taken on a contingency fee basis.