One class of congenital disorders, known as neural tube defects (NTDs), affect the baby’s spinal cord. The most common presentation is spina bifida, a condition that forms during the first month of fetal development. Its side effects may be mild or severe, and can last a lifetime. We’ll explain how the disorder is treated and managed below. Mothers who used sertraline while pregnant, and gave birth to babies with spina bifida may be eligible to file Zoloft lawsuit claims against Pfizer, the drug’s manufacturer.

How Zoloft And Pregnancy Side Effects Present

Early during fetal development, the central nervous system begins as the neural plate, a flat structure of specialized cells. The plate starts to curl during the first month to form the neural tube. Normally, the cells of the tube fuse together during the fourth week to form a solid, unbroken structure. Sometimes, however, they fail to do so, and allow one or more openings to remain in the tube.

At birth, the openings appear between the baby’s vertebrae. If they are too small for any portion of the spinal cord or nerves to protrude through them, the condition is called spina bifida occulta. It rarely presents symptoms. In fact, many people never realize they have it.

A more serious form of the disorder is called meningocele. An opening between the baby’s vertebrae is large enough for a group of membranes called the meninges to protrude through it. Since the nerves and spinal cord remain in place, housed within the vertebrae, there are rarely lasting side effects.

The most severe form of spina bifida is also the most common: myelomeningocele. Here, the vertebral opening is large enough that a portion of the spinal cord, along with nerves, herniates through it. Because these spinal elements are exposed to damage, the baby will usually suffer limited paralysis, limb weakness, and loss of sensation. Many babies also develop neurological complications as well as problems with urinary and bowel function.

Prenatal Surgery To Minimize Spinal Damage

A surgeon can sometimes repair the defect while the baby is still in the womb. Because occulta and meningocele pose few lasting problems, surgery is usually reserved for myelomeningocele. The surgeon will expose and open the mother’s uterus to access the fetus’s spinal cord. Any herniating spinal elements are returned, and the opening through which they protruded is closed.

The baby is still likely to display physical dysfunction after birth since the spinal cord and nerves will have been exposed. But surgery can minimize the damage. Many experts also believe that prenatal surgery can minimize the likelihood of intracranial pressure and cognitive dysfunction.

Postnatal Surgery For Zoloft Birth Defects – Spina Bifida

Most cases of spina bifida are addressed after the baby is born. This is because prenatal intervention for the disorder is still a relatively new procedure and poses risks. Many surgeons lack the requisite skills and equipment to perform the operation.

Babies born with meningocele or myelomeningocele undergo surgery within the first forty-eight hours of life. The meninges and exposed spinal elements are returned through the vertebral opening. Then, the wound is closed to prevent infection.

Babies with severe spina bifida usually require multiple surgeries to correct deformities. Additionally, they need ongoing therapy later in life to learn how to live with paralysis. Many people with myelomeningocele are forced to use a wheelchair throughout their lives.

Other Zoloft birth defects, such as heart defects, craniosynostosis (a congenital malformation of the skull), and PPHN are more common than spina bifida. However, severe spina bifida is serious. It can cause pain, disability, and neurological challenges.

If you used Zoloft during your pregnancy, and your child was born with birth defects, you may be able to file a Zoloft lawsuit claim for compensation. Contact an experienced Zoloft birth defects lawsuit attorney to discuss your case.

Several parents whose children were born with congenital disorders following prenatal exposure to sertraline have filed Zoloft lawsuit claims. They allege the manufacturer, Pfizer, failed to adequately test the drug or warn them of the risks. Below, we’ll describe two abdominal birth defects – omphalocele and gastroschisis – that may develop in babies whose mothers use sertraline while pregnant. You’ll learn how each disorder presents and how each is corrected.

Zoloft And Pregnancy Side Effects – Omphalocele

Babies with an omphalocele are born with some of their abdominal organs on the outside of their bodies. This birth defect is a type of hernia. The affected organs may be limited to a short section of the small intestine, or can include the spleen and liver. They are contained within a thin sac composed of the peritoneum, a membrane that lines the abdominal cavity.

An omphalocele develops by the end of the first trimester. During normal development, the infant’s intestines protrude into the umbilical cord; this can occur at anytime between the fifth and tenth week. Around the eleventh week, the intestines retract from the umbilical cord back into the abdominal cavity. The muscles of the abdominal wall gradually close over the hole.

In cases where babies are exposed to Zoloft during this period, the intestines occasionally fail to retract. They continue to protrude through the navel. This prevents the muscles of the abdominal wall from closing over the hole, which in turn allows the other organs to herniate outside the baby’s body.

If a baby is born with a small omphalocele, the doctor may be able to return the protruding organs to the abdomen shortly after delivery. However, this may not be possible for larger omphaloceles. The development of the organs outside the abdomen may prevent the abdominal cavity from growing normally. There may be too little space. In such cases, the sac-covered organs are placed into a sterile pouch known as a silo.

The silo prevents infection in the event the peritoneum ruptures. It also helps the baby’s body retain heat. Over the course of several days – and possibly weeks for a severe omphalocele – the doctor will gradually return the organs to the abdomen, section by section. Surgery may be performed at a later date to repair the abdominal muscles.

Zoloft Birth Defects – Gastroschisis: Presentation And Repair

Like an omphalocele, gastroschisis is defined by an abdominal hernia. However, rather than the abdominal organs protruding into the umbilical cord, they herniate through a hole located to the right of the navel. The birth defect is usually small, and typically involves only the intestines. However, it presents a high degree of risk because the intestines are not protected by the peritoneum. In the womb, they are exposed to amniotic fluid, which can cause inflammation and swelling. After birth, they are exposed to bacteria, which may lead to infection.

The preferred approach to treating gastroschisis is to return the bowel to the baby’s abdomen shortly after birth, and during a single treatment. Sometimes, however, doing so is not possible. There may be insufficient room in the abdominal cavity for the herniated intestines. The doctor might need to perform a staged repair by returning a portion of the bowel over several days. A sterile covering is placed on the organ to protect the baby from bacteria and heat loss.

In most cases, neither an omphalocele nor gastroschisis are life-threatening. Even a severe defect can be treated successfully, though the infant may require reconstructive surgery afterward. The most significant risks are infection and the possibility of bowel tissue death.

If your baby is suffering from Zoloft birth defects affecting the abdomen, heart, spine, skull, or lungs, you may have the right to file a claim for compensation. Contact an experienced Zoloft lawsuits settlements lawyer to discuss your legal options.

In 2006, the Food and Drug Administration warned women that using SSRIs while pregnant could cause a congenital disorder known as persistent pulmonary hypertension in newborns (PPHN). The announcement was prompted by a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine. The study had revealed that fetuses exposed to SSRIs were six times more likely to be born with the condition.

PPHN is one of the most serious Zoloft birth defects. It can be fatal without treatment. We’ll explain how it influences a baby’s circulation below, and describe the side effects it causes.

How Fetal Circulation Works

The path taken by blood while a baby is in the womb is different than the path it takes after the baby is born. Gas exchange (oxygen and carbon dioxide) takes place in the placenta rather than the lungs. The placenta provides the baby with the necessary oxygen to survive and grow.

The blood in the right ventricle is pumped into the pulmonary trunk, as normally occurs after birth. However, instead of flowing to the lungs for oxygen, most of it flows through a fetal shunt called the ductus arteriosus. This shunt, found near the aortic arch, forms a passage between the pulmonary artery and the aorta. Over 90 percent of the blood that leaves the right ventricle flows through it to the aorta, and onward to the baby’s body. It then circulates back to the placenta to pick up more oxygen.

What Is Pulmonary Hypertension In Newborns?

Normally, when a baby is born and takes the first breath, oxygen rushes into the lungs and creates pulmonary pressure. This pressure causes the blood vessels of the lungs to expand. At the same time, the lungs release a peptide called bradykinin, which causes the ductus arteriosus to close. Within one or two days, the fetal shunt becomes almost completely closed, forcing blood in the pulmonary artery to flow to the lungs. The blood picks up oxygen before traveling to the left atrium.

In a baby born with persistent pulmonary hypertension, the ductus arteriosus fails to close. Instead, it remains open, and allows blood to continuing traveling between the pulmonary artery and aorta. The lungs still fill with oxygen, but much of the blood fails to reach them.

In the womb, recall that blood flows from the pulmonary artery through the ductus arteriosus to the aorta. With PPHN, the higher pressure in the aorta causes blood to move in the opposite direction. This allows oxygenated blood in the aorta to mix with deoxygenated in the pulmonary artery. Both travel to the lungs, causing hypertension.

Zoloft And Pregnancy Side Effects

Side effects of PPHN are related to the infant’s respiratory function. Because less oxygen-rich blood is able to leave the pulmonary and cardiovascular systems, the oxygen level in the baby’s body drops. The infant will display rapid breathing, a fast heartbeat, and cyanosis (a bluish tint to the skin). These symptoms are due to hypoxia, a condition in which the body lacks sufficient oxygen to function properly.

The severity of the side effects depends on the size of the fetal shunt. If the ductus arteriosus remains large, allowing a substantial amount of oxygenated blood in the aorta to travel to the lungs, signs of respiratory distress will likely be severe. If the shunt is small, they may be mild. In cases where the medical team is unable to oxygenate the baby’s body, a prolonged lack of adequate oxygen can lead to multiple organ failure and even death.

Persistent pulmonary hypertension is one of many serious Zoloft birth defects that warrants prompt treatment. Severe cases are fatal if they are left unresolved. If your baby is suffering from problems that resulted from Zoloft birth defects, you may have the right to file a claim for compensation. Contact an experienced Zoloft lawsuit side effects lawyer to discuss your options.

Studies show that prenatal exposure to sertraline can increase the risk of several congenital heart disorders. Some are life-threatening and warrant immediate surgical intervention. Others present less danger initially, but can have severe consequences later in life. Heart valve abnormalities are among this latter group. If your infant was born with the following valve defects, you and your child may be eligible to file a Zoloft lawsuit claim against the drug’s manufacturer.

Zoloft Birth Defects

In a normal-functioning heart, valves control blood flow from the upper chambers (atria) to the lower chambers (ventricles), and from the lower chambers out of the heart. The valves consist of flaps that open and close according to the chambers’ contractions. Stenosis is a condition in which the valves’ flaps are too thick or stiff. As a result, they do not open completely. Less blood is able to flow through the flaps, which causes the affected chamber to pump more aggressively.

When stenosis affects the mitral valve (between the left atrium and left ventricle), it can cause coughing, breathing difficulty, and shortness of breath. Severe cases can lead to signs of congestive heart failure.

Stenosis in the aortic valve (between the left ventricle and aorta) can cause the same symptoms. In addition, the infant may faint sporadically due to insufficient blood flow to the brain.

A stenotic pulmonary valve (between the right ventricle and pulmonary artery) can cause fainting and shortness of breath. Also, because less blood is able to flow to the lungs to pick up oxygen, the baby may develop signs of cyanosis. A blue tint will become noticeable on the skin due to inadequate oxygen in the bloodstream. The infant’s abdomen may also swell as the result of fluid accumulation. Severe pulmonary stenosis can result in death.

Heart Valve Regurgitation (Insufficiency)

Regurgitation (sometimes called insufficiency) is essentially the opposite of stenosis. The flaps of the valves fail to close completely, which allows blood to flow in the wrong direction. For example, a regurgitant tricuspid valve (between the right atrium and right ventricle) allows blood that has been pumped to the ventricle to leak back into the atrium. This can cause abdominal distension, fluid buildup in the feet and legs, and endocarditis.

Pulmonary valve regurgitation can cause the same issues. The baby may also display signs of respiratory distress.

Insufficiency in the mitral valve is usually more serious. It can cause elevated blood pressure, arrhythmias, stroke, and even heart failure.

Aortic valve insufficiency can cause the infant’s heart to race or flutter. It also leads to shortness of breath, pulmonary edema, and occasional losses of consciousness.

Heart Valve Atresia

Atresia is a condition in which the valves are malformed in such a way that their openings are partly or completely blocked. As a result, blood flow through the valves is severely restricted. This defect is often accompanied by other heart defects (e.g. septal defects, patent ductus arteriosus, etc.) that allow blood to reach the baby’s body.

Tricuspid atresia and pulmonary atresia typically result in cyanosis. In addition, the right ventricle is often underdeveloped.

Atresia of the mitral and aortic valves present many of the same symptoms as stenosis. The baby may develop a cough, have difficulty breathing, and periodically faint.

Although valve disorders can be serious, they present less danger than other Zoloft birth defects. If your baby is suffering from congenital heart disorders stemming from prenatal exposure to Zoloft, you may have the right to file a claim for compensation. Contact an experienced Zoloft lawsuit settlements lawyer to discuss your case.

Zoloft is a drug used to help people with conditions such as depression, post traumatic stress disorder, social anxiety, and panic disorder. When taken during certain stages of pregnancy, Zoloft can affect an unborn baby’s development, resulting in life-threatening birth defects.

Common Zoloft Birth Defects

The list of birth defects attributed to Zoloft is long and varies in seriousness. Three of the most well known conditions caused by exposure to Zoloft are Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn, craniosynostosis and omphalocele.

With Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn or PPHN, a newborn’s arteries to the lungs do not expand as they should, therefore limited oxygen the lungs and the rest of the body. This deadly condition requires immediate medical intervention, and even with that, it is fatal in 10 – 20% of the cases.

An omphalocele occurs during the unborn baby’s development when the muscles in the abdominal wall do not close properly, and the intestines protrude outside of the body. Surgery is required to repair the abdominal wall.

Craniosynostosis is seen when the fibrous joints, or cranial sutures in the skull, fuse prematurely, not leaving room for the brain to grow and develop. Babies born with craniosynostosis often need surgery to help correct the condition. Without it, they may have increased cranial pressure, developmental delays or seizures.

In addition to PPHN, omphalocele, and craniosynostosis, Zoloft can cause many other birth defects including spina bifida, clubfoot and numerous problems with the heart and vascular system.

Zoloft and Birth Defects

Zoloft is in a class of drugs called Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs), and these drugs may help balance the amount of serotonin in the brain. Scientists believe that serotonin is key to moods, so a proper balance can often reduce feelings of depression. But the scientific community acknowledges that it doesn’t know everything about how SSRIs affect the brain chemistry, but does warn that there is definitely a connection between a mother’s use of Zoloft during pregnancy and birth defects.

One study published by the New England Journal of Medicine reported that women who took Zoloft early during the pregnancy were more than twice as likely to have a baby with a heart defect.

With all of the problems linked to Zoloft, parents whose babies were born with birth defects are questioning whether the drug manufacturer, Pfizer, did enough to study the possible effects of the drug. Furthermore, many feel Pfizer did not sufficiently warn patients about the potential side effects.

Zoloft Lawsuit Claim Center
We are currently investigating legal claims on behalf of children who have been hurt by the use of Zoloft. If your baby has been affected by the use of Zoloft and was born with a birth defect, you and your child may be eligible for compensation. For a free, no obligation and confidential consultation, please contact us today. There is a limited time to file Zoloft lawsuits 2011 claims. Please contact us at your earliest convenience.

What is an SSRI?

Scientists believe that one cause of depression or anxiety is due to a chemical imbalance in the brain. Serotonin is a naturally occurring chemical that relays signals from one part of the brain to another. Scientists theorize that a decrease in serotonin can lead to depression.

SSRIs increase the level of serotonin, relieving depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, panic and social anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Numerous SSRIs are available by prescription, including three of the most popular anti-depressants, Zoloft, Paxil and Prozac.

SSRIs were first introduced in the 1980s and have been popular because they have worked with fewer side effects than other antidepressants. General side effects include fatigue, dizziness and weight change.

SSRIs and Other Anti-Depressants

These side effects were generally mild, compared to side effects from other types of antidepressants. Tricyclic antidepressants were some of the earliest forms of medicine to treat depression. Side effects included nausea, dizziness, dry mouth, and changes to blood sugar and blood pressure levels. Another early treatment for depression, Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) block a particular enzyme, but can cause serious reactions when combined with certain foods or other medicines.

Problems with SSRIs

Although any one can experience side effects after using SSRIs, one group should be particularly cautious: pregnant women.

Studies have shown that women who used Zoloft while pregnant have a higher chance of their baby being born with a birth defect. In fact, when Zoloft is taken in the 3rd trimester, babies are more than six times as likely to develop Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn, or PPHN. This life-threatening condition occurs when a newborn does not adapt to breathing outside of the womb.

Other studies indicate that using SSRIs, including Zoloft, during pregnancy increase a baby’s risk of developing Craniosynostosis which is a birth defect impacting the growth and development of the skull. Zoloft is also associated with the development of an omphalocele, which occurs when the muscles in the abdominal wall do not completely close, allowing internal organs to push through. Zoloft is also blamed for numerous skeletal development problems, such as spina bifida and clubfoot.

In 2006, the FDA issued a warning that pregnant women should use caution when using Zoloft. The FDA has rated Zoloft and other SSRIs as a Category C drug, meaning that they’re not sure of the effect the drug has on humans, but that it had adverse effect on animals. Mothers who took Zoloft as prescribed by their doctor, only to find later about these concerning side effects, are understandably devastated, wondering if the testing procedure was thorough enough.

Zoloft Birth Defects Lawsuit
If your baby was born with a birth defect after taking Zoloft while pregnant please contact us. We can talk with you to determine your legal options. There is a limited time for filing Zoloft lawsuits 2011 claims. Please contact us at your earliest convenience.

About Zoloft

Zoloft was first introduced by Pfizer in 1992, and has steadily been used for depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, posttraumatic stress syndrome, panic and social anxieties and premenstrual dysphoric disorder.

Zoloft is a type of drug called an SSRI, or Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor, and it works by affecting the chemicals in the brain. Scientists are not completely sure why SSRIs are effective, but they believe that the drugs help increase serotonin, a naturally occurring chemical in the brain that improves mood.

Doctors often preferred SSRIs because they seemed to have fewer side effects than previously used medicines.

Over time, however, scientists began to notice a disturbing trend: women who took Zoloft during pregnancy were more likely to have a baby with a number of birth defects. Some of the birth defects were life-threatening, affecting the development of the heart, brain, intestines and spine. Others affected the vascular system and skeletal structure.

Zoloft Birth Defects FDA
In 2006, the FDA issued a warning that women who used Zoloft in their 3rd trimester were more likely to have babies born with Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn (PPHN), a deadly condition with a mortality rate of 10 – 20%.

This FDA warning presented quite a dilemma for women who needed to balance their own treatment with a healthy development of their babies. Doctors were cautioned to determine what was in the best interest of their patients as they reviewed the use of Zoloft during the pregnancy.

Still, for some mothers who were prescribed Zoloft before 2006, this warning came too late to prevent their children from being affected by Zoloft birth defects. Parents of children with critical or fatal congenital problems wonder whether Zoloft’s manufacturer did enough to ensure the drug was safe before it was introduced to the consumer. Babies born with Zoloft birth defects face multiple surgeries, treatments and long-term problems, including developmental delays.

Zoloft Lawsuits Settlements
If your baby was born with a birth defect after being exposed to Zoloft while you were pregnant, you probably have questions about who is responsible. We are currently investigating lawsuit claims that Pfizer did not fully research the possible Zoloft and birth defects problems, and did not warn doctors or patients about these risks. If you would like to talk with someone about your situation, we invite you to contact us today for a free, no-obligation consultation to discuss your legal options. There is a limited time for filing Zoloft lawsuits 2011 claims. Please contact us at your earliest convenience.

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