Health & Fitness Tools

Zoloft Birth Defect: Omphalocele

9th September, 2011 - Posted by health news - No Comments

An omphalocele is a birth defect which is the protrusion or herniation of your abdominal organs into your umbilicus (belly button). The protruding abdominal organs are covered with a thin membrane and they are easily seen from the outside. Though there is a no known definite cause, a variety of factors have been identified as a risk factor for this birth defect including the use of antidepressants at the time of pregnancy. The incidence of this birth defect is more likely doubled if antidepressant medications are taken at large doses. One study was made and stated that OTC painkillers can lessen the efficacy of antidepressants and that might explain why some taking them also increases their dose for their antidepressants.

Nature of Omphalocele

An omphalocele can be immediately observed upon inspection because the abdominal contents will spill out of the belly button. Only the intestines spill out in minor cases, but in severe cases, the liver, spleen and other organs may come out of the umbilicus as well. About 1 in every 4000 babies is born with omphalocele and approximately 50 percent of those babies suffer from other birth defects such as trisomy 21 or 18, both of which are chromosomal abnormalities. However, the most common co-existing condition(s) with omphalocele are related to the heart. Omphalocele can be diagnosed even when the baby is still in the womb by means of a sonogram or an Alpha Fetoprotein Blood Test.

Treatment for Omphalocele

The ideal treatment for this birth anomaly is surgery but the time on which it is performed will be determined if your child has another birth defect such as heart defects, which is generally repaired first. Repair of the omphalocele will be made by stitching a special man-made material over the sac, and the abdominal organs will be slowly pushed back into the cavity. When the organs are successfully pushed back into the abdominal space, the man-made material that was stitched will be removed. The skin will eventually grow but an operation can be made on the child’s abdominal muscles and skin when he/she is older to have a better cosmetic result.

Things to Expect After Surgery

The surgical will have to depend on a variety of factors which might include the severity of the child’s condition, development of the abdominal space, injury or harm to other organs, and the presence of other congenital defects among other things. For the simple omphalocele, the outcome is good most of the time while for some of the larger ones, abdominal contents can no longer be pushed back into the abdominal cavity. If omphalocele was diagnosed before birth, the mother should be closely monitored by her physician. This condition has also been connected as a Zoloft birth defect which means that taking medications should also be watched out for.