Could the anti-depressant you are taking harm your unborn baby?

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are used to treat moderate to severe depression. Popular brand-name drugs of this type include Celexa, Lexapro, Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft, and Symbyax. These drugs adjust serotonin released in the brain, helping cells send and receive chemical messages.

Women who have used these pills while pregnant have reported babies born with birth defects, including atrial septal defect in which the child is essentially born with a hole in his/her heart. Although this can be successfully treated when caught early, some experts urge that there are other anti-depressant drugs that are safer for pregnant women to take than SSRIs.

SSRIs have also been linked to causing autism in children. Recent studies suggest that children born to mothers who took SSRIs while pregnant were two times more likely to have autism spectrum disorder.

Paxil Downgraded to a Category D Drug
Paxil is the trade name of the antidepressant medication paroxetine hydrochloride, manufactured by the pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline. This drug has been on the market since 1992 and is often used for the treatment of depression, along with the treatment of anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorders, post-traumatic stress disorders, and even premenstrual dysphoric disorder.

In 2005, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requested that GlaxoSmithKline change the drug's pregnancy category to a D based on data that suggested a possible link between the drug and heart defects in babies. Before that, Paxil had been rated a Category C drug, meaning it should only be taken by a pregnant woman if the benefits outweighed the risks to her fetus. As a Category D drug, Paxil has been shown to pose a significant risk to the fetus and should only be taken by an expectant mother when there is a risk to her if she does not take the drug.

Some of the heart-related disorders and birth defects that may be associated with the use of Paxil include holes in the heart, abnormal vessel arrangement, abnormal structure of the heart, and duplication of some heart structures.

Potential Risk of Suicide
The FDA is in the process of reviewing reports that Paxil increases the risk of suicide in children and adolescents under the age of 18. The FDA is recommending that Paxil not be used in children and adolescents for the treatment of major depressive disorder. There is no evidence that Paxil is effective in children or adolescents with major depressive disorder, and Paxil is not currently approved for use in children or adolescents.

Recent reports link at least 21,000 suicides to the use of SSRIs, including Paxil. In a disturbing article entitled "Cover Up? Paxil and Suicide Risk," published by WORLD OF PSYCHOLOGY, the author specifically states that GlaxoSmithKline covered up and obscured evidence that the drug Paxil was eight times more likely than a placebo, a sugar pill, to cause suicide.

Know Your Rights
Lawsuits have been brought against GlaxoSmithKline alleging the company did not act properly in informing the public of risks and that their product caused injury to patients. If you took Paxil while pregnant and your child was born with a birth defect, call the experienced dangerous drug attorneys at Van Wey Law today at (214)390-1350 or (800)489-5082.

Don't hesitate to contact Kay Van Wey at (800)489-5082 for a free, no obligation consultation.

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