New Research Uncovers Link Between Antidepressant Use During Pregnancy and Birth Defects

(New York, NY, July 18, 2012) The Rottenstein Law Group, which represents clients with claims stemming from injuries and birth defects caused by antidepressants in the Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI) class sold as Zoloft and Paxil, has learned of new research showing that women who take SSRIs might face an increased risk of giving birth to infants with heart problems.

A June 20, 2012 article published in the online edition of the British Medical Journal (BMJ) describes the findings of a study that looked at pregnancies in Denmark between 1997 and 2009 and concluded that risks of congential malformations of the heart are increased for infants whose mothers were exposed to an SSRI during the first trimester, according to the study's summary. The study also finds that women who stopped their SSRI use six-to-nine months prior to getting pregnant are at a similarly increased risk, according to a July 17, 2012 blog entry by David Healy, a psychiatrist, psychopharmacologist, and professor of psychiatry in Wales.

How much of an increased risk are mothers-to-be who take an SSRI such as Zoloft facing? Specifically, the s tudy found that the children born to women who are on or have been on an SSRI have a roughly doubled rate of heart defects, Dr. Healy's blog states.

The Rottenstein Law Group is a compassionate and diligent advocate of people who have been injured as a result of SSRI use. Women who took an SSRI like Zoloft during the first trimester of pregnancy and gave birth to a child with birth defects are encouraged to visit www.zoloftlawsuitsattorney.com. The site contains social media features that allow for easy sharing on sites like Facebook and Twitter, which enables visitors to spread the word about the potential dangers associated with Zoloft. The firm encourages visitors to link to its sites from their own blogs and Web sites to spread information about dangerous drugs and defective medical devices.

About the Rottenstein Law Group
The Rottenstein Law Group is a New York-based law firm that represents clients in mass tort actions. The firm was founded by Rochelle Rottenstein, a lawyer with over two decades of experience in compassionate representation of clients in consumer product injury, mass tort, and class action law suits. For more information, please visit its Web site at www.rotlaw.com , or call (888) 9-ROT-LAW. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.