Zoloft: An Antidepressant that Can Cause Serious Injury in Newborns When Used During Pregnancy
Zoloft (sertraline hydrochloride) is an antidepressant used to treat depression as well as obsessive-compulsive, panic and social anxiety disorders. In 2007, it was the most prescribed anti-depressant in the United States market, with nearly 30 million prescriptions written for the drug. The drug is manufactured by Pfizer.
Study Links Zoloft to Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension (PPHN)
In February 2006, a study was published in the New England Journal of Medicine by lead author Dr. Christine Chambers, a pediatrician at the University of California, San Diego, associating Zoloft with an increased risk of persistent pulmonary hypertension (PPHN or PPH), a serious and life-threatening lung disease.
In June 2006, the FDA issued an alert for Zoloft concerning the association between taking Zoloft during pregnancy and the risk of newborns developing PPHN. The alert stated that babies born with PPHN have abnormal blood flow through the heart and lungs and do not get enough oxygen. Babies with this PPHN can be very sick and may die.
If you or a family member has had a newborn with persistent pulmonary hypertension after taking Paxil later in pregnancy, please contact Skikos, Crawford, Skikos, Joseph & Millican for a free consultation.
