Study Shows Increase In Women Taking Medication During Pregnancy

According to a report by a research team from the Boston University School of Public Health, there has been a significant increase in prescription use by pregnant women in recent years. The study showed that medication use in the first trimester increased by more than 60% over the amount using medications during pregnancy thirty years ago. Perhaps even more alarming, those taking four or more medications during pregnancy has increased three-fold over the same time period. Antidepressants – the researchers highlighted – have been used particularly more often.

This is not a new discussion in maternity care circles. The subject of antidepressant use during pregnancy has been the subject of much debate. Though these medications usually carry a risk of harm to the developing fetus, ceasing to take antidepressant medication can have serious negative repercussions for a mentally ill or depressed mother, which could be bad for the unborn child as well. Nevertheless, this trend is dangerous and now more than ever it is important that doctors inform their female patients of the risks of taking medication during pregnancy.

Zoloft is one medication that carries such a risk. Two studies published in the New England Journal of Medicine highlighted the risk of birth defects in children born to women who take the drug during pregnancy. A study of 10,000 infants with birth defects and 6,000 healthy infants found that women who took Zoloft exposed their unborn child to twice the risk of certain defects. These problems occurred in women who took the drug during the first few months of pregnancy, making the risk even more serious given these defects could manifest themselves before the woman realizes she is pregnant.

It is incredibly important that women taking Zoloft make informed decisions regarding their prescription. While it is important to treat depression, one must take the proper precautions to protect herself from inadvertently causing her unborn child to develop a birth defect. It is of the utmost importance that women taking Zoloft take the appropriate measures to lower their chance of getting pregnant while on the medication.

If your child has suffered through Zoloft birth defects, then you could have a case against Pfizer. The first step to getting the compensation you deserve is to contact an experienced and capable attorney. For a free consultation with an attorney from the Rottenstein Law Group, please fill out this brief contact form.