When a woman gets pregnant, she cannot always expect an ideal pregnancy. Sometimes, situations arise that need immediate attention and medical treatment. In cases when a pregnant patient is diagnosed to have mood disorders or depression, a doctor may give her medication to address this problem. These medication could come in a class of drug known as Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI) like Zoloft, which is now said to link to miscarriage among pregnant women.
Doctors prescribe Zoloft to patients to treat a variety of disorders such as depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, premenstrual dysphoric disorder, social anxiety disorder, and panic attacks. Zoloft is manufactured by leading pharmaceutical company, Pfizer, and is a popular antidepressant. However, there are emerging studies that link this drug to several birth defects in newborns born to women who took this medicine during pregnancy.
Pregnant users of this drug is worrying over the report that Zoloft may cause congenital heart defects on their newborns. CHD's are the abnormal development of the heart which occur at birth. The National Institutes of Health reported that congenital heart defects cause more deaths in a person's first year than any other birth defects. One cause of CHD is believed to be related to genetic disorders but most causes are unknown. In the early weeks of pregnancy, when there is abnormal or incomplete development of the fetus' heart, congenital heart defects usually happen.
In the British Medical Journal published in September 2009, an article reports that women who take antidepressants in their first trimester are two times more likely to give birth to newborns with heart defects than normal. A study which was published in 2010 in the American Journal of Nursing also had a similar conclusion which puts developing fetuses at a risk of acquiring heart defects, namely atrial septal defects and ventricular septal defects.
The FDA classifies Zoloft as a drug which could be potentially harmful to the baby but is believed that its benefits outweigh its risks. If you or someone you know is pregnant while taking this drug, it is best to consult a doctor regarding treatment. It is ill-advised to abruptly stop taking medication which was prescribed to you. Your doctor might find for you a better alternative to Zoloft.
