Craniosynostosis: A Serious Zoloft Birth Defect

[Celebration]

http://injurylawyer-news.com/2012/12/craniosynostosis-a-serious-zoloft-birth-defect/

The New England Journal of Medicine recently published a study that showed that infants exposed to SSRI drugs such as Zoloft while in the womb are twice as likely as other infants to experience a birth defect known as craniosynostosis. Craniosynostosis is a condition marked by the premature closing of an infant’s skull, which can inhibit brain growth. This condition can be associated with genetic disorders such as Apert, Carpenter, Crouzon, Chotzen, and Pfeiffer syndromes as well as the use of SSRI drugs during a woman’s pregnancy.

Craniosynostosis signs include misshapen head, developmental delays, seizures, and blindness. There are two different treatments for craniosynostosis–one involves a cranial mold being used to reshape the skull, which can be effective in less severe cases. If the birth defect is more severe, however, surgery may be necessary in order to relieve pressure on the brain and cranial nerves and help improve the symmetry of the infant’s skull.

Zoloft increases the likelihood of infants developing craniosynostosis, but this isn’t the only reason women are worried about taking the drug during their pregnancies. Multiple studies have shown that taking Zoloft and similar SSRI drugs, which can help treat depression, general anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and post traumatic stress disorder, can contribute to several serious birth defects in infants, including omphalocele, atrial septal defects, and ventricular septal defects.

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Hundreds of families have become involved in Zoloft-related litigation. If a child is born with a serious birth defects after the mother used Zoloft during her pregnancy, the family is responsible for medical bills and other costs associated with the infant’s injury. Filing suit against drug maker Pfizer could help relieve some of the financial burden.

[SheilaT]

1. Oh, my.

I had my first child thirty years ago this month, and even that long ago it was understood that any medication a mother might take could affect the child. It seemed as if women back then took no medications at all. Heck, I broke my ankle when six and a half months pregnant and I had to beg the midwife I was seeing to prescribe a few prescription pain medications to get me past the worst of that.

Has the idea that medications can affect the developing baby been lost? Has everyone totally forgotten about thalidomide?

[Quantess]

2. Good to know!

Zoloft is a very widespread, common medication.