Study links Prozac, Paxil use with birth defects

Babies born to women who took certain antidepressants during pregnancy may have an elevated risk of birth defects, according to a study published Wednesday in the medical journal BMJ.

A new study tries to clarify whether these meds pose a danger to an unborn baby.

Researchers at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say they’ve confirmed a link between some antidepressant drugs and birth defects.

It found a slight increase in birth defects in babies born from women taking Paxil and Prozac. It did not find an increased risk with other drugs such as Zoloft, Celexa and Lexapro. SSRIs, or Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors, are a popular class of antidepressants.

The latest study, conducted by a team of USA and Canadian researchers, led by the CDC, showed associations between fluoxetine and defects in the heart wall as well as craniosynostosis, or irregular skull shape.

She said there were limitations to the study, including the fact that the researchers did not know the dose of the antidepressants taken by the women or why they were taking them. Paroxetine was linked to five birth defects, including heart defects; anencephaly, defined as problems with brain and skull formation; and abdominal-wall defects.

The researchers found no connection between the antidepressants and nine birth defects that previously had been linked to them. The Paxil use had been associated with a birth defect in which the baby’s intestines protruded outside of the body.

“”It’s very important that physicians advise any women considering use of Paxil (paroxetine) or other SSRIs during pregnancy of the potential risks, which are clearly detailed within the product label and patient information, recognizing that for some the benefits of therapy may continue to outweigh the potential risk”, a GlaxoSmithKline spokesman said in a statement”.

“Women should talk to their health care providers about available options, ideally before planning a pregnancy”, said study author Jennita Reefhuis.

It is good to avoid these two medications if you are pregnant and needing some antidepressant medications, but you should not just dismiss your depression during pregnancy.

That’s only if they took it in the months before getting pregnant and during the first trimester.

Treating depression during pregnancy is important, said the March of Dime’s McCabe, who was not involved in the study.