Posts Tagged ‘ Paxil birth defects ’

Paxil Birth Defects: Baby Beware!

July 20th, 2009. By LucyC

Depression during pregnancy is a health risk not only for the mother, but also for her baby, yet it’s not widely publicized. According to information on the March of Dimes website—the March of Dimes being a leading non-profit organization for pregnancy and baby health—two of every 10 women experience symptoms of depression during pregnancy. That’s considerable.

So where’s the health risk to the baby? You get a prescription for an antidepressant and hope for the best, right? Wrong. The fallback treatment for depression has become antidepressant drugs, the most common type being selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors or SSRIs. SSRIs, such as Paxil (paroxetine) which are associated with serious cardiovascular malformations, primarily ventricular septal defects (VSDs) and atrial septal defects (ASDs). The risk for these birth defects is so serious that GlaxoSmithKline’s (the maker of Paxil) own publicly available literature states:

For women who intend to become pregnant or are in their first trimester of pregnancy, paroxetine should only be used after consideration of the other available treatment options.

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