Zoloft Lawyers Gearing Up For Lawsuits Over Birth Defects

A number of lawyers throughout the United States are beginning to investigate potential Zoloft lawsuits and preparing to file cases on behalf of children born with birth defects or malformations after being exposed to the SSRI antidepressant when the mother was prescribed the drug during pregnancy.

Zoloft (sertraline) is a popular second-generation antidepressant introduced by Pfizer in 1991 for the treatment of depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder and anxiety. By 2007 there were nearly 30 million prescriptions, making it the most prescribed antidepressant in the United States.

In recent years, a growing amount of research and adverse event reports have suggested that use of Zoloft during pregnancy may increase the risk of serious and potentially life-threatening health problems for babies, including persistent pulmonary hypertension in newborns (PPHN), heart defects, lung defects, abdominal defects, cranial defects and other malformations.

Studies have suggested that Zoloft side effects may increase the risk of birth defects when used as early as the first trimester of pregnancy, a time when many women do not even know they are pregnant.

The risk of birth defects from SSRI antidepressant has been a concern for several years. In 2006, the FDA released a public health advisory that antidepressant side effects could cause serious injury to infants if taken by the mother after the 20th week of pregnancy, including a six-fold increase in the risk of the child suffering from PPHN. In 2009, a study found that use of Zoloft and other SSRI antidepressants during the first three months of pregnancy could double the risk of septal heart defects in newborns.

In recent months, a growing number of Zoloft lawyers have been advertising for potential claims through pay-per-click advertisements on Google and other search engines, as well as television advertisements, indicating that children born with birth defects after the mother used the medication during pregnancy may be eligible to pursue compensation.

This week, the topic of Zoloft lawsuits for birth defects will be discussed at an educational seminar in Philadelphia for plaintiffs’ lawyers. Zoloft will be discussed along with a number of other drugs that have been linked to birth defects and malformations when used during pregnancy, including the antidepressants Paxil, Lexapro and Prozac, as well as the anti-seizure medication Topamax, which has been linked to a risk of cleft palate and cleft lip.