Omphalocele is one of several birth defects linked to fetal exposure to antidepressant medications prior to birth. According to data from the Slone Epidemiology Center Birth Defects Study, the chance of a baby being born with an omphalocele is increased six-fold when the mother is prescribed a selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitor medication, like Zoloft, during the first trimester of the pregnancy. The implications of this research have resulted in several lawsuits being filed against the makers of these antidepressants. Many women do not believe they were warned properly of these horrendous birth defect possibilities.
About Zoloft Omphalocele
An omphalocele is a Zoloft birth defect that takes place when the abdominal muscles and organs do not form properly during fetal development. In a non-affected baby, the intestines will return into the abdomen before birth. However, in an infant with a Zoloft omphalocele, these abdominal muscles will remain outside of the body in a sac that protrudes through one side of the umbilical cord. Often times this defect will occur with a congenital heart defect. Many times an omphalocele can be detected in the 2nd and 3rd trimesters from an ultrasound; if not detected, it will be seen by the doctor at birth.
Zoloft Omphalocele Treatments and Complications
Treatment for a Zoloft omphalocele is contingent upon both the size and the gravity of the defect. If the defect is small, typically surgery will be performed shortly after birth to simply return the organs into the abdomen and close the hole. With a large omphalocele, treatment will be completes in various phases in order to ensure that the organs will fit into the underdeveloped abdominal cavity. Oftentimes, a mechanical ventilator will also be used in order to stabilize the breathing of the baby. Because a Zoloft omphalocele means that the abdominal organs are exterior to the body, there is a tremendous risk of infection. This risk is heightened if the protective membrane encompassing these organs breaks, exposing them to the contaminants of the outside world.
File an Omphalocele Lawsuit: Speak to a Zoloft Lawyer
If your child was born with an Omphalocele or other birth defect and the mother was prescribed an SSRI antidepressant during pregnancy, call the Willis Law Firm today. In addition to Zoloft lawsuits, we are also reviewing birth defect cases regarding the following medications in all fifty states:
Effexor
Prozac
Paxil
Lexapro
Celexa
When taking one of these medications while pregnant results in a birth injury, you and your family may be legally entitled to a financial settlement. All antidepressant birth defect cases are taken on a contingency fee basis; you are only responsible to pay legal fees if you receive damages. Call us today.