Zoloft® and Anal Atresia (Imperforate Anus)
If you took Zoloft® during your pregnancy and gave birth to a child with anal atresia, you should contact one of our Zoloft® birth defect lawyers for help.
Zoloft® and Pregnancy: Risk of Birth Defects
Zoloft® (sertraline) belongs to the SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) class of antidepressant medications. Since they were introduced in 1987, SSRI products have become the most widely prescribed form of antidepressant on the market. Zoloft®, introduced in 1991, was the most popular antidepressant in the United States as recently as 2007.
Zoloft® and other SSRIs have been linked to various birth defects. Use of the antidepressants should be carefully considered when used by women who are pregnant or are thinking of becoming pregnant. Several studies and years of adverse event reports have caused the FDA to warn patients and healthcare providers about the relationship between Zoloft® and other SSRI medications and the occurrence of malformation in newborns.
Among the possible Zoloft® birth defects are:
- Anal atresia
- Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn (PPHN)
- Septal defect (hole in the heart)
- Club foot
- Limb defect
What is Anal Atresia?
Anal atresia, also called an imperforate anus, is a birth abnormality that centers on a malformed rectum. In most cases the rectum and anus are not in place, resulting in no exit path for fecal material. It's an obvious defect; it is then up to the physician to determine to what extent the entire lower gastrointestinal system may be malformed or incomplete. There are three basic types of anal atresia that vary in severity and in the treatment that is required.
Symptoms of Anal Atresia
The most obvious symptom of this condition is the absence of an anus in the newborn. Other conditions that are identified with this birth defect are:
- A colon that has formed higher up in the pelvis and formed an abnormal growth joining the urethra, the bladder, or the vagina
- Persistent cloaca, a condition in which the colon, urinary tract and vagina have formed into a single channel
Complications of Anal Atresia
While relatively rare, this condition is a serious malformation that can create a lifetime of complications for the affected child. In all instances the newborn will require surgery. In the simplest case, it may just call for a perforation that opens the anus in the proper spot. If there is malformation of the colon and rectum, the surgery may involve an immediate colostomy.
Anal atresia is often indicative of other birth abnormalities. It is not uncommon for a child born with this condition to also exhibit:
- Heart malformation
- Limb defect
- Esophageal abnormality
Two of these three conditions have also been identified as possible Zoloft® birth defects.
Contact a Zoloft® Birth Defect Lawyer
Women who have taken Zoloft® during pregnancy have elevated the risk of defects in their newborns. If you gave birth to a child with anal atresia or another malformation after taking Zoloft® while pregnant, you should consult an experienced Zoloft® birth defect lawyer about possible compensation, especially if you were unaware of the potential risks.
Contact our offices today for a free review of your case.