Omphalocele is a Potentially Serious Birth Defect for Babies Born to Mothers Who Took Zoloft

Serious birth defects after taking Zoloft have been reported by women who took the antidepressant while pregnant. One such birth defect is omphalocele in the newborn. When a child’s organs develop outside the body, this is known as omphalocele. It is a form of hernia and may also be termed an umbilical hernia.

Numerous lawsuits have been filed as a result of this birth defect.

Typically, most children who are born with omphaloceles are able to recover with surgery, though it may be costly. In some cases, the omphalocele is too large to be placed back inside the infant’s abdomen, so the surgeon may advise that it is better to wait until the infant is older, so that the omphaloceles can be corrected at a later date, resulting in more cosmetically viable results.

Mothers who took SSRIs such as Zoloft were 2.8 times more likely to have a child with symptoms of omphalocele, a study notes

According to a 2007 study co-issued by the Center for Disease Control, mothers who used prescription SSRIs such as Zoloft, Paxil, and Prozac during pregnancy were 2.8 times more likely to have children who exhibited symptoms of omphalocele than women who did not take such drugs. SSRI stands for selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, and refers to the manner in which the drug acts with chemical properties in the brain to help prevent symptoms of depression and anxiety.

Generally, the first trimester exposure to the SSRI may result in harm. In addition to SSRIs, other risk factors for omphalocele include alcohol and tobacco use during pregnancy, and obesity.

As a fetus develops from week six through week ten of a woman’s pregnancy, the intestines get longer and push into the umbilical cord. By the eleventh week, of pregnancy, the intestines go back in. However, if this does not occur, then omphalocele results. The condition affects about 755 newborns in the United States annually.

A Zoloft attorney can help if you have had a child with birth defects after taking the antidepressant during pregnancy

Women who have taken Zoloft while pregnant, only to have children born with omphalocele or other birth defects such as craniosynostosis caused by Zoloft have consulted an attorney to determine if they are eligible for compensation. For many, compensation was won through a lawsuit can help relieve the financial burdens that accompany raising a child with birth defects.

While the Zoloft warning label notes the risk of birth defects in newborns, it does not specifically address omphalocele. However, the label does note the potential for other birth defects, such as persistent pulmonary hypertension of newborn, or PPHN.

PubMed Health reports that 25-40% of all infants who are born with omphalocele was also born with other birth defects, which may potentially be life-threatening. These may include generic abnormalities or congenital diaphragmatic hernia.

Contacting Zoloft lawyers is wise for any family that has been negatively affected by the use of Zoloft during pregnancy.

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