A new medical research study finds women who used the popular antidepressants Paxil and Prozac could be more likely to have babies born with birth defects than women who used similar drugs to treat depression while pregnant.

According to the study of 28,000 women by researchers at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), certain antidepressant birth defects occurred 2 to 3.5 times more frequently among babies born to women who used Prozac and Paxil early in pregnancy.

The study noted an association between Prozac use and birth defects like misshapen skulls, while Paxil use was associated with birth defects such as intestines growing outside of the baby’s body (omphalocele) and missing parts of the brain and skull (anencephaly). Both drugs were linked to heart defects, according to the study.

The study’s authors note that the risks appear to be small and that there is no proof that the drugs cause birth defects, only that there appeared to be a link between using the drugs in early stages of pregnancy and some birth defects.

The study, which was published in the July edition of the British Medical Journal, follows several studies that linked the entire class of SSRI antidepressants to birth defects. This particular study, however, did not find an association between birth defects and the use of other antidepressants in the same class, inlcuding Celexa, Lexapro or Zoloft.

Antidepressants and Pregnancy

Depression is a fairly common condition during pregnancy, and it has been estimated that as many as 20 percent of pregnant women experience it at some point. While physicians may shy away from prescribing medications during such a crucial period, there are instances when the depression is severe enough to have a considerable detrimental effect on the health and well-being of the mother.

If the depression becomes severe, a doctor may prescribe an antidepressant such as Prozac or Paxil. Some women, however, may suffer from side effects and run the risk of giving birth to children with severe physical and mental impairments.

Antidepressant Birth Defects Lawsuits

Families who have children born with such defects have the option to file a lawsuit if the birth defects can be proven to be directly related to the mother’s use of the antidepressant during pregnancy.

Some of the drugs that are suspected of playing a role in birth defects are Celexa, Lexapro, Paxil, Prozac, and Zoloft. These medications may have been released without the manufacturers informing the public about their potentially dangerous side effects.

Although many antidepressants have come under tighter control by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in recent years, some women may have taken the drug before such restrictions were in place.

If your child was born with congenital birth defects after you took Paxil, Prozac, Zoloft, Celexa, Lexapro or another antidepressant during pregnancy, a birth defect lawsuit may provide you with compensation for medical procedures and other damages.