In coping with depression, health care professionals usually prescribe psychotherapy and oral medication like antidepressants. However, reports from patients, results of various medical studies, and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warnings suggest that antidepressants like Paxil, Zoloft and Effexor may not be the safest way to cure depression and anxiety disorders because of their tendency to cause harmful effects. These include sexual dysfunction, increased suicide risk, abnormal personality changes, unusual mood shifts, sleeping problems and eating disorders. Birth deformities to babies had been also been reported, particularly if the mother had taken the drug during the first three months of pregnancy. On October 17, 2010, BCLocalNews.com published an article on a British Columbian
couple trying to increase awareness about infant exposure to antidepressants. The couple supposes that their baby died apparently from the wifes exposure to antidepressants during pregnancy.
The mother, Christiane Schultz, was prescribed Effexor while pregnant and on February 21, 2009, she gave birth to her son, Matthew. Unluckily, he died a mere two hours after he was born. Christiane and husband Amery claimed that her use of Effexor while pregnant contributed to Matthew's death. Since then, they have been forwarding awareness on the dangers of antidepressant drugs to pregnant women and their unborn children.
The studies have concluded that Paxil causes a wide range of birth defects, specifically cardiac malformations like atrial septal defects and ventricular septal defects. These usually happen when the mother took Paxil during the first trimester of pregnancy, during which the babys heart was still developing in the womb. Another severe side effect is persistent pulmonary hypertension of the Newborn (PPHN), which is equivalent to high blood pressure in babies lungs. PPHN can be extremely severe and may lead to death in some cases. Limb abnormalities and craniosynostosis (skull deformation) are also other birth defects that are allegedly blamed on Paxil. These defects can be very serious. While some after-effects can mend on their own, others cannot and can even lead to further operations and complications. Breathing difficulties, low blood sugar, vomiting, irritability, tremors and seizures may also be experienced by babies.
According to FDA, health care professionals should avoid prescribing Paxil in women who are pregnant or are planning pregnancy, unless other treatment options are not appropriate.
