[atm]

What are risks to developing fetus while on Zoloft? Would like to hear from anyone who has had experience of a pregnancy and if your child has had any repercussions.

[AKaeTrue]

Are you thinking about taking it while pregnant? Or, did you take it while pregnant and now wondering if it had anything to do with an issue concerning your already born child?
I'll share with you my experience of taking ssri's during pregnancy, but I'd like to know why you are asking, if you don't mind please.
-Kae

[atm]

My daughter is 27 and has been on Zoloft for panic discorder for 10 years. She started a 50 mg, increased to 100 mg and is reducing dosage under her doctors supervision to around 75mg but will not be able to discontinue altogether. She is not pregnant now but plans to have a baby soon. We have both researched and found very little reliable information and so we are looking for stories from real people who have lived the experience. Thanks for caring.

[J_9]

Zoloft is a (B) category drug while pregnant. Which means that the benefits to your daughter most likely outweigh the risks to the fetus. Meaning, there are very little if any risks to the fetus.

I have not lived this particular experience, however, I am a nursing student and I researched this drug in my "2007 Mosby's Nursing Drug Reference."

However, it is in her best interest to discuss the fact of possible pregnancy with her physician prior to getting pregnant. This drug should also be avoided if she plans on breastfeeding.

The reason you have found very little info is because there are none, if any, birth defects related to this drug. A category B drug is considered safe during pregnancy.

[AKaeTrue]

Quote:
Zoloft is a (B) category drug while pregnant. Which means that the benefits to your daughter most likely outweigh the risks to the fetus. Meaning, there are very little if any risks to the fetus. Posted by J_9
This is absolutely true.

I too was on Zoloft for many years. A total of 7 years before my first pregnancy.
I was able to stop taking the drug in the first 3 months of my pregnancy with my first child. And had a happy, healthy daughter.

After my daughter was born, postpartum depression hit me hard and I again started taking SSRI's for depression. This time it was Celexa.
I became pregnant once again and opted to discontinue treatment during the first 3 months of pregnancy as I had done before.
My inability to cope with stress, anxiety, panic attacks, and depression was so sever that I miscarried at 19 weeks.

I started on antidepressants again. This time Celexa and Effexor combined. When I found out that I was pregnant again, I spoke with my doctor about my options and the risks involved.
I was told that any time you take medication when pregnant, you run a risk. Since my inability to cope was what most likely caused the miscarriage of my otherwise healthy pregnancy, it was recommended to me that I should stay on the treatment or I ran the risk of losing another pregnancy.

I stayed on the treatment and had a beautiful baby boy.
His birth was comparable to any birth with minor complications. He didn't want to breath or cry for the first few minutes, but the nurses were wonderful and he didn't suffer from lack of oxygen or anything. He also was born with a unique pigment defect on the top of his head (not a birthmark) and an umbilical hernia defect which is not severe enough to have surgery. It's unknown if these complications had anything to do with taking SSRI's because these same kind of problems can occur even when a mother does not take any medication at all, but Dr says it's a possibility.
Like my Dr. said - any medication during pregnancy holds a risk - sometimes that risk outways the consequences.
In my case, if my sons minuet abnormalities, that have no effect on his wellbeing what so ever, are a result from taking SSRI's during pregnancy, then I would say that definitely outweighs the possibility of another lost pregnancy (especially a loss so far into the pregnancy as mine was).
So that's my story. I hope it helps hearing from people who have very same situations as your daughter to help ease her worries.
Good luck to her, best wishes,
This is a picture of my son in action, He not slowed down by a thing. You can see the abnormality on his head - it kind of looks bald, but it's actually like bleach blond hair. Some nurses in the hospital said he must have been kissed by an angel (sweet). It doesn't slow him down a bit, and who knows where it came from. It's been there since birth. I love his little unique twist and wouldn't change what I did for the world because he may not be here otherwise.
Kae

[J_9]

He is Beautiful Kae!!

My son was born while I took Celexa the whole pregnancy!!

This is a current pic of my & my boy!!

[atm]

Great answers from J_9 and AKae True. Thanks, very candid and exceptionally reassuring.

[AKaeTrue]

Your welcome atm - I hope all goes well with your daughter.

J_9, I love the pic! You are very pretty - love the smile! Your son is a real handsome little cutie!

[julie1134]

My baby was alive with a beating heart until I took Zoloft. The pregnency ended with a miscarriage. I do believe Zoloft had something to do with it. I had 2 children before this pregnancy but was not on any meds for depression. Only until I took Zoloft did I lose my 3rd baby.

[AABJMom]

I took zoloft while pregnant... lowered the does to 50mg. My daughter is now eight. She was born fine and healthy normal fun loving happy child….at age six, she was diagnosed with ADHD and anxiety. Many would argue it's hereditary and there is truth to this, but my gut instinct tells me that taking Zoloft didn't help, as the medication is designed to work with Brain chemistry. Of course the fetus is affected. I was given the same line - that if the mother is happy and well then it's better for the baby. It was convincing... but in hind sight, nine months of my own anxiety would have been better and more tolerable then my daughter being faced with the challenges associated with ADHD and child anxiety. What have I done…. I have guaranteed the drug companies one more patient dependent on their meds. How's that for a business continuity plan!

[kgingy4559]

I was perscribed zoloft but now I'm pregnant and I want to know if its safe to continue to take it. Some people that I've talked to said that they seen commercials or something that said not to take it but I was hoping to talk to someone that has had some sort of expirience with it.