SSRI USE DURING PREGNANCY CAN CAUSE CONGENITAL HEART DEFECTS

Holes in the heart are a type of congenital heart defect. Congenital heart defects are problems with the heart’s structure that are present at birth. These defects change the normal flow of blood through the heart.

The heart has two sides, separated by an inner wall called the septum. With each heartbeat, the right side of the heart receives oxygen-poor blood from the body and pumps it to the lungs. The left side of the heart receives oxygen-rich blood from the lungs and pumps it to the body.

The septum prevents mixing of blood between the two sides of the heart. However, some babies are born with holes in the upper or lower septum. Once the septum is perforated, the oxygenated blood flows back to the lungs rather than to the body and the body becomes oxygen starved.

It’s been estimated that almost one-quarter of women experience an episode of depression during pregnancy, and for many women medication is needed to treat the symptoms. However, in 2010 The American Journal of Nursing published research that found mothers taking these selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) during the first trimester of pregnancy were nearly 5 times more likely to have infants with septal heart defects.

SSRI pharmaceuticals are sold under numerous brand names including:

• Prozac

• Celex

• Zoloft

• Lexapro

• Luvox

• Effexor

• Remero

• Cipralex

• Paxil

The medical community is aware that SSRI drugs administered during pregnancy greatly increases the chances of infant congenital heart defects. Despite overwhelming research showing a direct correlation between these antidepressants and birth defects, these SSRI drugs are still being administered to women during their pregnancy who are unaware of this danger.

Contact the New York SSRI lawyers at The Law Offices of Jason W. Stern & Associates

The SSRI lawyers at The Law offices of Jason W. Stern & Associates are dedicated to helping families who have infants with Congenital Heart Defects. We work hard to educate and increase awareness of the dangers of SSRI drugs and their causal relation to congenital birth defects. If you would like to speak to an SSRI attorney about becoming part of a lawsuit please contact Jason W. Stern at (718) 261-2444.

To find out more about the research available on these SSRI drugs click on this link.