What are Zoloft's Effects on a Fetus?
Zoloft is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) used primarily as an antidepressant. Women expecting babies are often encouraged to stop taking SSRIs and other medications during pregnancy, because there is little information about the effects of drugs on fetuses. However, some women consider continuing stable antidepressant treatment during pregnancy to remain healthy.
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Pregnancy Class
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Zoloft is in Food and Drug Administration pregnancy class C and should only be used if the benefits greatly outweigh the possible risks. Although thorough clinical studies are not available in pregnant women, SSRIs like Zoloft have been associated with birth defects and other post-delivery complications in animal toxicity studies. For example, in rat and dog studies, stillborn births and early deaths have occurred.
Complications
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Zoloft has documented adverse effects in babies at birth; some of these complications are: difficulty breathing or feeding, irritable mood and impaired or excessive muscle tone and movement. These reactions may be side effects to the drug or to the withdrawal of drug, and they are more often noted when Zoloft is used later in the pregnancy, nearer to the time of delivery.
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Potential Risk
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Documented occurrences of persistent pulmonary hypertension (PPHN) at birth may be associated with SSRIs in general and with Zoloft in particular. PPHN, a type of heart and lung disorder, can lead to complications and even death.
Speculation
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It is possible that SSRIs, including Zoloft, may cause miscarriage during pregnancy or altered behavioral development or bleeding problems in an infant who was exposed to the drug as a fetus. However, these associations have not been documented or thoroughly studied as of the early 21st century.
Expert Insight
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In the September 23, 2009 issue of "British Medical Journal," LH Pedersen and colleagues reported a low but definite increase in prevalence of septal heart defects in infants who were exposed to SSRIs during fetal development, early in the mother's pregnancy. The greatest association was noted with Zoloft, rather than with the other studied SSRIs, Celexa or Paxil.
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