SSRI Drugs Linked to Birth Defects

A study recently published in the medical journal Human Reproduction backs up a number of claims made by patients of the antidepressant Zoloft who have filed lawsuits against drug maker Pfizer. Zoloft is a medication known as a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, popularly prescribed for patients who suffer from common psychological disorders such as depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, general anxiety disorder, and post traumatic stress disorder. The study shows that Zoloft and other, similar SSRI drugs can make it more difficult for women to conceive when they are receiving fertility treatments; it also confirms that the drug can cause severe side effects in pregnant women and even birth defects in developing infants.

Fertility problems linked to SSRIs

Researchers in the Human Reproduction study analyzed a number of studies that examined the effects of SSRI drugs on women coping with fertility issues as well as their depression. Women who had been prescribed SSRI drugs were more likely to experience miscarriages, premature birth, and other pregnancy complications; women undergoing fertility treatments also weren’t as likely to get pregnant while taking SSRI antidepressants including Zoloft, Paxil, and Celexa.

Other forms of treatment could pose less of a risk for pregnant women while being just as effective at treating symptoms of depression, the study showed. Counseling, physical exercise, and cognitive-behavioral therapy decreased the intensity and frequency of the patient’s symptoms of depression significantly. Published studies show that the use of Zoloft during pregnancy increases the chance of a baby being born with birth defects, which can be significant and life-changing–or even life-threatening. Many parents have chosen to file a Zoloft lawsuit after having a child born with significant birth defects.

Lawsuits filed by parents

Birth defects can be serious and can affect a child throughout his or her growth and during the rest of his or her life. Many parents have chosen to enlist the help of a Zoloft lawyer and file suit against drug maker Pfizer, who many say did not adequately warn patients about the risks that Zoloft has been linked to.