New study may verify Zoloft birth defects

New York, NYTreating depression in pregnant women may require increasingly meticulous scrutiny, as a recent study published in the British Medical Journal has linked a mother's use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) - chemical compounds commonly found in antidepressants like Zoloft – with heart defects in children, suggesting that Zoloft birth defects are a very real danger.

In addition, a study released in the Archives of Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine claims that the children of mothers using these SSRI showed a higher risk of preterm delivery, received low scores on a comprehensive health test and had a higher rate of admission to neonatal care units.

One of the defects most commonly associated with prenatal use of Zoloft is Primary Pulmonary Hypertension in newborns, a potentially fatal heart and lung disorder in which constricted arteries prevent the flow of blood to the lungs, in turn lowering the level of oxygen in the bloodstream.

Pregnancy can be a trying time in any woman's life. With common side effects including nausea, panic attacks and hormonal shifts, it's not surprising that the New York Times reports that one in four pregnant women suffer from depression.

Citing statistics from 2003, the Times claims that an eighth of pregnant women in the U.S. use medication to combat depression.