Note: We have a 2024 update on the Zoloft lawsuits at the bottom of this post. The rest of the post was written eight years ago in 2015 when there were high hopes for the class action Zoloft lawsuit.
Depression treatment is essential. This is especially true during pregnancy. Untreated depression can have harmful effects on both the mother and the baby. But we are learning more about the use of antidepressants and the increased risk of problems for the baby.
- Camp Lejeune birth defects lawsuit
- John Hopkins believes in 2022 that anti-depressants do not cause birth defects
- New JAMA study in 2022 says Zoloft is safe during pregnancy
Zofran Safety Study in 2015
This study supports prior findings that women who use Zoloft during pregnancy are at an increased risk of giving birth to an infant with birth defects that could include severe heart or cranial malformations.
According to findings published in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, the use of Zoloft may increase the risk of atrial and ventricular defects by more than 30%, and more than double the risk of craniosynostosis. (2023 Update: In fairness, this study has not been replicated and most experts believe Zoloft is safe during pregnancy in 2023. That does not mean that it is. But it is fair to say that most experts today believe Zoloft is safe for pregnant women.)