The parents of a child born with a serious heart defect have sued Pfizer, the manufacturer of the antidepressant Zoloft. They allege that the company failed to warn users about the increased risks of birth defects in children born to mothers who take certain kinds of antidepressants, known as serotonin reuptake inhibitors, during pregnancy.

Daughter Born With VSD

The Utah couple is the latest to join the Zoloft multidistrict litigation currently pending in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. According to their complaint, the mother took Zoloft in 2010 and 2011 under her doctor’s advice and did not know that Zoloft could cause birth defects in children.

Her daughter was born with a ventricular septal defect, diagnosed with a heart murmur and had to undergo surgical VSD repair when she was eight months old. The lawsuit alleges that she continues to require substantial medical care, procedures and treatment and suffers both physically and emotionally.

Zoloft Birth Injury Defects

Zoloft and other SSRI medications have been linked to an increased risk of children being born with VSD or Atrial Septal Defects (ASD) – conditions in which a child’s heart does not fully develop in the fetal stage, leading to holes in the wall of heart chambers. Other Zoloft birth injury defects include cleft palate, clubfoot and various defects affecting the heart, skull and abdominal wall.

If your child has been injured due to Zoloft, Paxil or any other SSRI medication, contact The Driscoll Firm, LLC, to discuss your situation and determine whether you might be entitled to compensation for your injuries, such as medical bills, medical monitoring, lost income, pain and suffering and more.