Since it was introduced in 1991, sertraline, trade name Zoloft, has become a widely prescribed drug to treat depression as well as panic and anxiety disorders. Reports began to surface in the late 1990s concerning a connection between Zoloft and birth defects. Since that time, Pfizer, which manufacturers Zoloft, has been the target of lawsuits charging Mississippi birth defects because of the drug. Specifically, attorneys cite the drug manufacturer for failing to warn pregnant women of the risks involved with taking Zoloft. In 2006, a study in the New England Journal of Medicine linked the drug to persistent pulmonary hypertension (PPHN) in the newborn. Besides a failure to warn pregnant women of possible harm with the drug, lawsuits cite the manufacturer for negligence, defective design, and fraudulent misrepresentation. It has been stressed that Pfizer had the knowledge, and therefore the responsibility, to give women, by direct warnings or through health care professionals, the possible risks with use of the drug during pregnancy.
- VSD (ventricular septal defects) and ASD (atrial septal defects)
- tetralogy of fallot (TOF): a condition that causes low levels of oxygen in the blood, which means a poor blood supply to the lungs and may ultimately mean open heart surgery and often a lifetime of medical care
- coarctation of the aorta: this major artery from the heart is narrowed, resulting in chest pain and dizziness
- hypoplastic left heart syndrome: a rare condition that results in underdevelopment of the left side of the heart
- anencephaly: a fatal defect in which parts of the brain or skull are missing
- omphalocele: causing intestines to protrude through the navel
Studies on birth defects have also shown that a condition known as cryaniosynostosis, an abnormally shaped head, may result from taking Zoloft. Other reported conditions from the drug that may result in Mississippi birth defects are persistent pulmonary hypertension in a newborn and missing or deformed limbs.
If you have taken this drug and your child was born with a birth defect, contact the Mississippi birth defects attorneys affiliated with Attorney Group for Mississippi. The Attorney Group for Mississippi is here to help you pursue compensation for medical bills, pain and suffering, and other damages. If you have taken Zoloft and have afterward had to deal with birth defects in your child, our attorneys will review your case and inform you of your legal right and help you decide if you wish to pursue compensation, all at no upfront cost to you. Birth defects often require costly and perhaps long-term medical treatments and even long-term care. Contact Attorney Group for Mississippi today to have your questions answered and take the guesswork out of finding an attorney that is on your side.
