Zoloft Linked to Gastroschisis and Omphalocele Birth Defects

News about Zoloft (sertraline) birth defects continues to grow. Most of the time, though, outlets focus on Zoloft heart defects such as left outflow tract defects and septal heart defects. There are other side effects, however. One particularly gruesome pair is gastroschisis and omphalocele. Usually a genetic condition, gastroschisis is a defect near a newborn’s umbilical cord that causes intestines or other organs to protrude outside of the abdominal cavity. It is often identified as a type of hernia. Omphalocele is a similar condition in which the intestines, liver or other organs protrude due to a failure of the abdominal muscles to develop properly. The difference is that omphalocele is an umbilical cord defect while gastroschisis is not. Both conditions are difficult to detect before birth. Surgeons often repair the damage by either pushing the intestines back into the body or by stitching a mesh around the protrusion.

Two studies published in the June 28, 2007 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine draw a connection between early pregnancy Zoloft use and gastroschisis and omphalocele. The first, conducted by Carol Louik and her colleagues using data from the National Birth Defects Prevention Study, is titled “First-Trimester Use of Selective Serotonin-Reuptake Inhibitors and the Risk of Birth Defects.” The second study, carried out by a group led by Sura Alwan, uses data from the Slone Epidemiology Center Birth Defects Study and is called “Use of Selective Serotonin-Reuptake Inhibitors in Pregnancy and the Risk of Birth Defects.”

The Alwan article finds a slight connection between SSRI use and gastroschisis, with an odds ratio of 1.3. SSRIs caused omphalocele, however, at a rate that is 2.8 times normal. Louik’s study does not include any data on gastroschisis but it does separate Zoloft from other SSRIs. Louik’s study finds that  SSRI users develop omphalocele at 1.4 times the normal rate, while Zoloft users develop it at an astonishing 5.7 times the normal rate.

If your child was born with Zoloft gastroschisis or Zoloft omphalocele and you took Zoloft during  your pregnancy, you may be entitled to compensation. The Rottenstein Law Group is now offering free, confidential legal consultations to parents or guardians of children born with these conditions under these circumstances. Please click on this link or complete the contact form to the right and one of our Zoloft lawyers will contact you as soon as possible to discuss your legal options.