It is reported that over 80,000 pregnant women in the United States are prescribed selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) by their doctors to treat depression. Many mothers do not know that taking antidepressants during pregnancy can lead to serious heart defects in their newborn children.
Recently, a Philadelphia jury was informed by a medical expert that the antidepressant Zoloft, manufactured by Pfizer, is likely responsible for the heart condition that a young girl was born within 2006. Mia Robinson, now eight years old, was born with transportation of the great arteries. Mia’s two major arteries exiting her heart are switched, and could require $2.4 million in medical expenses during her lifetime. She had undergone open-heart surgery before she was even six months old, due to the condition.
Pfizer denies that their antidepressant medication has anything to do with Mia’s heart defects, but over 550 federal lawsuits are pending within the U.S. District Court of Pennsylvania claiming otherwise. In 2005, researchers discovered that taking antidepressants during the first trimester resulted in a 60% increase of newborns developing heart problems as compared to the general population, and many believe that Pfizer knew or should have known about the risks, and did not adequately warn physicians or patients.
If you have given birth to a child with serious heart defects after being prescribed antidepressants during your pregnancy, do not hesitate to contact our offices today. We are currently investigating the link between antidepressant medications and birth defects in newborns. With offices in California, Utah, and Washington, we are ready to stand up for you and your child’s rights.
