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Depression persists more than sadness or a lack of motivation. Depression is the primary cause of disability, according to the World Health Organization.
Did you know that many pregnant women experience depression? During pregnancy, the body experiences many changes. These changes trigger depression.
Let’s take a look at how Zoloft is connected to birth defects, how to file Zoloft lawsuits and some legal claims against Pfizer.
What is Zoloft Used For?
Zoloft belongs to a group of drugs called Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs), which are the most often prescribed antidepressants. Zoloft was introduced in the United States in 1991.
The following SSRIs have received approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat depression:
- Citalopram (Celexa)
- Escitalopram (Lexapro)
- Fluoxetine (Prozac)
- Paroxetine (Paxil, Pexeva)
- Sertraline (Zoloft)
Zoloft is used to treat several mental health issues, including obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), social anxiety, panic attacks, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It is approved for use in children ages 6–17 to treat some conditions.
Both adults and teenagers who suffer from depression are frequently treated with this medicine. The medicine Zoloft is known by its generic name, sertraline. Who makes Zoloft? Pfizer makes the popular antidepressant Zoloft.
Around 38 million prescriptions for sertraline were written in the United States in 2020, making it the country’s sixth most often prescribed drug overall. In 2016, sertraline was the country’s most regularly prescribed psychotropic drug.
What are Zoloft Side Effects?
A lawsuit against Pfizer was filed regarding Zoloft due to a number of serious side effects, including birth defects and drug injuries caused by the medicine.
Zoloft (Sertraline) is similar to the majority of SSRIs in that it can result in a wide range of health issues. Sertraline users have experienced anxiety, hallucinations, convulsions, depression, tremors, heart defibrillation, psychosis, and significant behavioral changes.
Is Zoloft linked to serious side effects? Can Zoloft cause permanent damage? Yes. Occasionally, this drug may make patients suicidal. Here are more side effects, including
- Sleeping problems
- Nervousness
- Headache
- Diarrhea
- Nausea
- Atrial septal defects
- Sexual issues
- Constant bleeding
- Suicidal thoughts
- dizziness
- Chest pain
- Stomach pain
- Allergic reaction
Can Zoloft cause hair loss? Yes. Along with other side effects, Zoloft can cause hair loss. This kind of hair loss is known as telogen effluvium. However, antidepressant-induced hair loss is not always permanent.
Is there any Zoloft while breastfeeding lawsuit? Generally, doctors say Zoloft breastfeeding is safe. However, some studies show that Zoloft may cause various side effects for the breastfeeding mother, including nausea, fatigue, and insomnia, along with a potential decrease in milk production.
It’s important to promptly report serious side effects, such as increased thoughts of suicide or worsening depression, to a doctor. While minimal negative effects have been observed in breastfed babies, no long-term studies have been conducted. Discussing potential Zoloft risks and benefits with your doctor is crucial, especially if considering Zoloft during pregnancy.
Although there have been concerns and discussions about Zoloft use during breastfeeding, some people have initiated Zoloft breastfeeding lawsuits, raising questions about the potential Zoloft risks to nursing infants.
Side Effects of Zoloft Withdrawal
When you suddenly stop Zoloft or another SSRI, it can have serious side effects. Side effects happen because the body hasn’t had time to adjust to not receiving the medication.
- Dizziness
- Irritability
- Anxiousness
- Vomiting
- Seizures
- Headaches
- Trembling
- Paresthesias
- Hallucinations
- Numbness in the hands or feet
Before stopping antidepressants or Zoloft, consult your doctor. It’s crucial that you do not abruptly stop using antidepressants. Antidepressant dosages should be gradually decreased, often over four weeks but occasionally longer.
Black Box Warning for Zoloft
The FDA in the United States issues a boxed warning whenever an approved medication poses a risk of serious, potentially fatal effects. Note the boxed warning for Zoloft.
According to the label, there may be a link between the use of antidepressants such as Zoloft and the risk of suicidal ideation and behavior in children, adolescents, and young adults aged 18 to 24.
The FDA initially implemented a black box warning on SSRIs in 2004, which is the toughest action it can take short of taking a medicine off the market. All commonly used antidepressants still come with packaging inserts that include the warning.
After the release of the black box warning, the number of antidepressant prescriptions for children and adolescents, which had been steadily increasing throughout the 1990s, sharply decreased. Major depression has a 15% lifetime suicide rate, and it can also have other deadly effects; for instance, a history of major depression doubles the risk of heart disease.
Has Zoloft been recalled? According to the January 10, 2018, US Food and Drug Administration Enforcement Report, Pfizer Inc. recalled 30-count bottles of 25-mg Zoloft pills from the 1972 batch S84026. The Roerig branch of Pfizer distributed the bottles throughout the United States.
Zoloft and Birth Defects
About 10% of expecting mothers struggle with depression. Doctors have recommended Zoloft to treat the symptoms of depression during pregnancy. However, taking Zoloft while pregnant, carries adverse risks. Pregnant women may experience nausea, seizures, vomiting, breathing difficulties, agitation, and low blood sugar.
Can Zoloft cause birth defects? Antidepressants like Zoloft and other selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors have been linked to abnormal birth results. The FDA is concerned that these medications may result in newborns having heart-related abnormalities.
The regularly used antidepressant Zoloft has also been linked to abnormal infant births. Even though this risk has been known for years, the Zoloft manufacturer has chosen not to adequately notify pregnant women about it.
Persistent pulmonary hypertension in infants is one of the hazardous adverse effects of Zoloft. PPHN is most likely to occur in newborns whose moms used Zoloft during the first trimester of pregnancy.
Several studies have connected autism spectrum diseases and Zoloft use during pregnancy. Specifically, in the second and third trimesters, children whose moms used Zoloft or other SSRI antidepressants have a 200 percent higher probability of receiving a diagnosis, according to this study.
Is there a lawsuit against Zoloft? Families have brought hundreds of Zoloft autism lawsuits against pharmaceutical companies as of 2022, claiming that SSRIs are to blame for the congenital abnormalities of their children.
Birth Defects from Zoloft
- Clubfoot
- Cleft lip
- Anal atresia
- Heart or lung defects
- Brain and spinal cord defects
- Skull defects
- Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension in Newborns
- Omphalocele
- Abdominal wall defects
- Intestinal disorders
- Autism spectrum disorder
If your child was born with one of these defects, Pfizer Zoloft lawsuits could help you fight for the Zoloft lawsuit settlements you need for your child’s future.
Legal Claims against Zoloft Maker
Pfizer, Inc., the company that makes Zoloft, faced zoloft pregnancy autism lawsuits. Had the neonatal issues been recognized, Pfizer would have issued warnings to prevent doctors and patients from using Zoloft, preventing these risks and harms.
Is Zoloft the subject of a class action lawsuit? An antidepressant class action lawsuit asserted that Pfizer misrepresented Zoloft’s safety and efficacy in treating depression when it was filed in federal court in California on January 30, 2013.
According to the antidepressant birth defect lawsuit, Pfizer misrepresented the results of clinical trials to patients and physicians, showing that the drug was neither safe nor as effective as claimed.
The majority of clinical trial data did not support Zoloft’s efficacy. That lawsuit was dismissed in September 2014.
A Florida resident has sued Pfizer, the maker of the antidepressant Zoloft, for birth defects. The plaintiff alleges that the drug caused her daughter’s birth defect.
The Zoloft litigation further alleges that Pfizer failed to adequately evaluate Zoloft and failed to alert patients and doctors to the possibility of birth abnormalities. Instead, she asserts that Pfizer allowed pregnant women to be administered Zoloft despite being aware of the drug’s dangerous negative effects.
The plaintiff filed a lawsuit against Zoloft on behalf of her daughter, who was born with a variety of birth defects, including the Zoloft birth abnormality known as coarctation of the aorta. This condition requires monitoring during infancy and into maturity and is typically present at birth.
The plaintiff claims that she and her nine-year-old daughter have endured bodily and emotional suffering due to these congenital defects. Additionally, her daughter has been unable to experience a typical upbringing because the doctor regularly examines and tests her.
Since Zoloft became accessible to consumers in 1992, numerous studies have been undertaken, all showing birth abnormalities. One study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, found that pregnant women taking Zoloft or comparable medications after the 20th week of pregnancy had a sixfold increase in the risk of having a child with birth abnormalities.
Another study’s findings indicate that using Zoloft during pregnancy could significantly raise the risk of having a child with a heart abnormality.
Zoloft Birth Defects Lawsuits against Pfizer
Women who had taken Zoloft and their children born with a birth defect may have the right to hold the manufacturer responsible through a Zoloft lawsuit. This may help you get Zoloft lawsuit payouts for pain and suffering, medical expenses, and more.
People are suing Pfizer for improper marketing of the medication, the drug’s manufacturing flaws, and the medication’s harmful side effects. Patients taking Zoloft have launched a collective lawsuit against Zoloft’s maker, Pfizer, for deceptive advertising.
A claim against Pfizer for harm to a newborn infant would seek remuneration for any future medical care that might be required, which could include a lifetime of specialized medical needs. It may cost a fortune to treat and console a child born with birth problems brought on by taking Zoloft.
A lack of caution in warning doctors and expecting mothers about Zoloft and other brand-name antidepressants has led to the filing of Zoloft lawsuits against drug manufacturers.
Zoloft Lawsuit Update 2024
All publicly reported rulings have sided with Zoloft’s maker, and there may still be some cases where attorneys are considering Zoloft claims. As of May 2024, there have been no significant developments in this dispute.
What to Do If You may be Eligible for a Zoloft Lawsuit?
Speak with an antidepressant lawsuit lawyer if your doctor claims that adverse effects you’ve had or are currently experiencing are due to Zoloft. In Zoloft during pregnancy lawsuits, the medical record is the fundamental legal document. A well-structured and well-written record is the best protection for every case.
Contact Zoloft lawyers if you or someone you know has suffered harm as a result of taking the medication Zoloft. Remember that each state has a statute of limitations that must be met before you can proceed with a Zoloft lawsuit.
In closing,
Taking action is the first step to safeguarding women’s mental health to feel better and provide the best start for their unborn child. Being kind to themselves is crucial, regardless of the treatment they choose to use to manage the melancholy. Their primary priority should be to care for their bodily and emotional needs.
