Popular antidepressants Paxil, Prozac linked to birth defects

An increase in rare birth defects have been seen in some babies whose mothers took certain antidepressants during pregnancy, although the risk still remained low, a study finds.

Birth defects are alarmingly common, affecting one in every 33 babies born in the United States, but scientists are still in the early stages of determining what causes majority.

There’s more evidence that women who take certain popular antidepressants may be at higher risk for having a baby with birth defects. However, there was no risk of birth defects with three other antidepressants – Zoloft, or sertraline, Celexa, or citalopram, and Lexapro, or escitalopram. “Our results suggest that if she took paroxetine, that risk could increase to 24 per 10,000”, Jennita Reefhuis, researcher at the CDC’s National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities and lead study author, tells Yahoo Parenting.

Dr. Reefhuis: Depression can be very serious and women should not suddenly stop taking their medications. In spite of the findings the experts strongly cautioned against pregnant women forgoing medication treatment without consulting a doctor due to the risks associated with depression during pregnancy. Paroxetine was linked to five birth defects, including heart defects; anencephaly, defined as problems with brain and skull formation; and abdominal-wall defects. In paroxetine’s case the potential risk went up from two per 10,000 births to seven per 10,000 births.

Although previous studies had suggested possible links between Zoloft and five types of birth defects, the CDC researchers say they found no connection. Abnormally shaped skulls are associated with Prozac while Paxil is linked to anencephaly and/or protrusion of the intestines out of the body. Both of the antidepressant medications, Paxil and Prozac, were associated with a heart defect.

“Although our analysis strongly supports the validity of the associations that were observed, the increase in the absolute risks, if the associations are causal, is small”, researchers stressed in the study. Researchers reviewed existing science and conducted a new investigation of their own, assessing specific SSRI use one month before getting pregnant or during the first trimester among 27,809 new mothers. He added, however, that pregnant women who are depressed need appropriate care.