Birth Defects And Amenorrhea, Two Of Zoloft Side Effects
August 21st, 2011
Amenorrhea is a medical condition defined as the absence of menstrual bleeding for at least 3 consecutive periods. Menstruation refers to the monthly flow of women. The term Amenorrhea comes from the Greek words “a” meaning no, “men” which means month and “rhoia” meaning flow. This condition is commonly caused by the natural phenomenon of pregnancy but can also be a symptom of other serious reproductive problems. Certain medications can also be the cause of this condition such as the antidepressant Zoloft. Zoloft is a medication under the SSRI drug class and some studies have been made not only showing Zoloft to cause amenorrhea but birth defects as well. It was also presented on the study made by the University of Nottingham in England that seniors using Zoloft had higher mortality risks when they kept on using the drug.
Some of the Common Causes of Amenorrhea
A number of factors can be mentioned as a cause of amenorrhea but not all of them are illnesses or disorders.
- Pregnancy
- Breastfeeding
- Menopause
- Contraceptives
- Medications (antidepressants, antipsychotics, chemotherapeutic drugs and anti-hypertensives)
- Stress
- Low Body Weight
- Too much exercise
- Hormonal Imbalance (Hyperthyroidism, Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and etc.)
Complications of Amenorrhea
Complications that may develop from amenorrhea are as follow:
- Infertility
Part of the menstrual cycle is ovulation. Ovulation is the expulsion of an egg from the ovaries so that it can meet a sperm and a woman becomes pregnant. You can’t get pregnant if you don’t have a menstrual cycle.
- Osteoporosis
One of the causes of amenorrhea is imbalance in hormones. This condition can be because of low estrogen levels in women. The hormone Estrogen helps in bone absorption of calcium which could mean that low estrogen levels in the body can affect the density of the bones. Osteoporosis may result of calcium absorption is hindered.
Zoloft Use and Amenorrhea
It has been indicated that specific medications can be a cause of this condition which includes Zoloft. As per the FDA, women taking Zoloft may experience amenorrhea as they are included as its side effect. Some Zoloft users reported that they had amenorrhea although it has been stated as an infrequent side effect. Some of those women took pregnancy tests because they thought they were pregnant and had to be careful as Zoloft birth defects are also associated with the drug.
Related posts: