Zoloft, or Sertraline, is a brand medication belonging to the SSRI class, or, in a few words, an antidepressant. It has become one of the most popular and most prescribed medications in 2013, and its market share keeps growing. Zoloft has approximately the same side effects as other SSRI, with a slightly increased risk of diarrhea, though there is a serious discussion about pregnancy Zoloft risks. It's reasonable, because many American women have to take Zoloft therapy, and stay on that antidepressant due to their health conditions, while many of them want to become pregnant as well. Therefore, they are concerned about possible outcomes of giving birth while on Zoloft.
In the United States, as well as in Europe and other regions, Sertraline conventionally marked as C pregnancy category. This means that the possible complications have not been ruled out. In most cases, it implies that tests on animals have exposed the possibility of birth defects, but the drug wasn't tested on humans, and perhaps, the positive effect of the drug can outweigh the risks. Nevertheless, many women prefer to get off Zoloft before they get pregnant and until the breastfeeding period is over. Let's look into it deeper.
How does Zoloft affect a fetus? The medication levels in blood of patient may be transmitted to fetus via umbilical cord, in proportion approximately 1/3 of the donor concentrations. The other way the medication can get in the baby's organism is with breast milk, but in this case the concentrations of it in the blood of the recipient are insignificant.
Statistics of the women in the depression pregnancy Zoloft therapy conjunction show, that the typical concentrations of the drug in blood may increase the risk of birth defects. So, the most serious complications there may be are omphalocele, septal defects, and anal atresia. However, while the mother being on Sertraline slightly increases the probability of such defects, their base occurrence chance is very low: not more than 1 of 4000 babies are exposed to that. Thus, in certain cases an increase of the risk of harming the babe is outweighed by the potential usefulness of Zoloft, particularly keeping the mother safe from depression. Note, that there is no change detected in serotonin uptake of the babies who have been exposed to Sertraline during pregnancy or breastfeeding.
To make it clear: only a medical specialist, who have studied the medical history and health conditions of the patient, can decide whether Zoloft is safe during pregnancy, or not. There is no need to worry about such problems as pregnancy Zoloft autism or pregnant Zoloft acid reflux, because they are of tiny significance. However, pregnant Zoloft abnormal sac may take place, and you have to make sure that the therapy is necessary. If the patient is at risk without his antidepressant therapy, taking Zoloft during pregnancy may be reasonable.