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Zoloft Birth Defect Lawsuit Filed Over Newborn’s Death
By Christina Drury
A new birth defect lawsuit has been filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania alleging that the death of a newborn baby girl was caused by the mother’s use of SSRI antidepressants during pregnancy. The plaintiff, Justyne Eaton, took a Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI) known as Zoloft to combat the symptoms of depression during her pregnancy. According to the Wisconsin Law Journal, Eaton’s baby was born with hydrocephalus, brain malformations and pulmonary hypoplasia. Unfortunately, the newborn did not survive and died from the aforementioned complications.
FDA Does Not Recall SSRI Medications
Statistics reveal that more than 15 percent of women in their childbearing years suffer from depression and are subsequently prescribed an SSRI antidepressant. Although the success of SSRI medications can be high, there have been risks associated with these types of antidepressants and childbirth. Even with the known risks, the FDA has chosen not to recall SSRI medications because they feel the benefits outweigh the risks.
SSRI Lawsuits on the Rise
The Zoloft birth defect lawsuit that was filed by Eaton is just one of many alleging significant harm caused by Zoloft and other SSRI antidepressants. As one of the more popular SSRIs, Zoloft has become of the subject of countless birth defect lawsuits. At least 270 lawsuits have been consolidated, alongside the Eaton’s, for the discovery and bellwether trial process this spring.
Evidence of a link between SSRIs and birth defects goes back as far as 2006 when a report on the topic was published in the New England Journal of Medicine. The journal reported that there was a significant link between SSRI medications and a condition known as Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn (PPHN). The FDA’s response was to suggest that medical professionals consider and discuss the risks of these types of medication with the patient before prescribing it. The FDA later changed their stance in 2011 when it was determined that only two out of five studies found a link between SSRIs and PPHN. The FDA concluded that doctors could treat depression with an SSRI if it was clinically appropriate.
Are You Eligible to Receive Compensation?
The Eaton lawsuit brings 12 counts against the makers of Zoloft, including failure to warn, strict product liability, negligence, fraud, defective design, breach of warranties and wrongful death. If you or someone you know took an SSRI medication during pregnancy and gave birth to a baby with serious birth defects, you may be entitled to receive compensation. Please visit our Zoloft, Paxil, Celexa, Lexapro & Prozac SSRI Antidepressant Birth Defect Class Action Lawsuit Investigation page for more information. On our website you can submit your information to our team of legal experts who will advise you on your eligibility for compensation. Based on the severity of your situation, you may receive compensation for negligence, medical costs, pain and suffering and more. Birth defects can be serious and potentially fatal, so contact us and get the compensation you deserve.
Updated February 15th, 2013
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One thought on Zoloft Birth Defect Lawsuit Filed Over Newborn’s Death
I was on Paxil the first 4 months when I was pregnant with my son and he is on the autism soectrum