SSRI Antidepressants and Birth Defects

Many antidepressants are classified as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors or SSRI. There are multiple SSRI on the market including:

· Zoloft

· Celexa

· Symbyax

· Lexapro

· Paxil

· Prozac

· Effexor

According to some studies, SSRIs are linked to serious birth defects including persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn or PPHN.

Facts about SSRI Birth Defects:

· The New England Journal of Medicine study found that women who took SSRIs during their third trimester were six times more likely to deliver babies born with PPHN-or to have babies that would develop primary pulmonary hypertension-than women who did not take SSRIs during their third trimmest.

· A 2005 Danish study determined that infants that were exposed to SSRIs during the first trimester of pregnancy were found to have a 60% higher chance of developing congenital heart defects.

· Paxil and Effexor were both highlighted by the FDA in 2005 for warnings associated with these risks.

· Two years before the FDA approval of Prozac in 1998, a 1996 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine revealed that women taking Prozac during pregnancy were twice as likely to deliver a baby with three or more “minor abnormalities” and below average neonatal adaptation.

· In 2004, Health Canada advised of the potential serious adverse effects of SSRI antidepressants of newborns.

If you or a loved one has taken an SSRI drug and has a child that suffers from a birth defect or from PPHN, the lawyers at the Manchin Injury Law Group can help. Contact us today for more information.