Mother Seeks $10 Million in Zoloft Birth Defect Lawsuit

A Washington mother has filed a $10 million Zoloft birth defect lawsuit against the drug’s manufacturer, Pfizer. She is representing her son who, according to the Zoloft lawsuit, suffers from birth defects resulting from her use of Zoloft during pregnancy. Though the case was originally filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York on May 31, 2012, it was eventually transferred to the current Zoloft lawsuit multidistrict litigation (MDL) in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania on July 18, 2012.

Zoloft Caused Her Son’s Birth Defects, Lawsuit Says

The mother alleges in the Zoloft birth defect lawsuit that Pfizer is at fault for failing to warn users of the side effects of Zoloft or to sufficiently test the product on pregnant women. This lack of important information, as well as inadequate testing, led to her using Zoloft during pregnancy, which allegedly led to her son being born with serious Zoloft birth defects.

According to the Zoloft lawsuit, she used the drug from September of 2003 until April 14, 2004. Her son, named only as “S.W.” in the complaint, was born in 2004.

Mother Says She Was Unaware of the Pregnancy Side Effects of Zoloft

The Plaintiff’s son suffers from a septal heart defect, as well as many permanent and lasting serious defects resulting from his mother’s ingestion of Zoloft during pregnancy. The plaintiff claims that she was not informed of the pregnancy side effects of Zoloft or the birth defects associated with the drug, and that Pfizer failed to warn pregnant mothers of the possibility of Zoloft birth defects if taken during pregnancy.

A septal heart defect occurs because of a problem during heart development in utero. It is also known as a “hole in the heart.” It is denoted as a condition in which the heart’s inner wall, the septum, does not develop properly. The septum’s role is to separate the two sides of the heart. Zoloft heart defects are commonly reported side effects of taking Zoloft during pregnancy.

Scientific Studies Link Birth Defects to Zoloft

Scientific studies will be scrutinized in Zoloft birth defect lawsuits and Zoloft class action lawsuits to determine if there is a link between SSRI antidepressants, like Zoloft, and birth defects such as septal heart defects. In 2005, a Danish study did link the use of Zoloft in early pregnancy with a small elevated risk for heart defects.

Another study in the July 2011 issue of Obstetrics and Gynecology found that women who take SSRI antidepressants during the first three months of pregnancy doubled their chances of having babies born with septal heart defects.

Filing a Zoloft Birth Defect Lawsuit

More and more women are filing Zoloft lawsuits after taking the SSRI antidepressant during pregnancy and subsequently having a baby with birth defects. Those who are able to prove they did have relatively healthy pregnancies prior to using Zoloft increase their chances for eligibility to participate in the Zoloft lawsuits and Zoloft class action lawsuits.

Though it has been proven that a link between Zoloft and birth defects exists, women are advised to seek a Zoloft birth defect attorney to determine whether or not they may be eligible to file a claim against Pfizer for damages.

To determine eligibility to file a Zoloft birth defect lawsuit or Zoloft class action lawsuit, a Zoloft birth defect lawyer may look at the specific birth defect at issue; for example, the case of S.W.’s septal heart defect. If you or someone you love took Zoloft during pregnancy and had a baby with a septal heart defect or another health condition, be sure to consult a qualified Zoloft birth defect lawsuit attorney. Visit the Zoloft, Paxil, Celexa, Lexapro & Prozac SSRI Antidepressant Birth Defect Class Action Lawsuit Investigation page right away to receive your free consultation.