FDA Warnings of Paxil Pregnancy Dangers Don’t Deter Prescriptions

Sadly, there are many women who are currently taking Paxil that are either pregnant or trying to become pregnant that have no idea of the potential side effect risk that their baby is being exposed to. Many women have already delivered babies that have severe birth defects due to Paxil use. As a result, the number of Paxil birth defect lawsuits continues to rise.

SSRI Antidepressants Linked to Pregnancy Side Effects

Paxil is classified as an SSRI antidepressant, also referred to as a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor. The FDA issued a published warning in December of 2005 stating that SSRI antidepressants, like Paxil, may cause an increased rate of birth defects if taken during pregnancy. This side effect is especially high if the SSRI antidepressant is taken during the first trimester. This is very troubling because many women continue to take their antidepressants during their first trimester, oftentimes because they may not have yet discovered that they are pregnant.

There have been further studies showing that the risk of Paxil birth defects is particularly high compared to other SSRI antidepressants. But again, many women have used Paxil during their pregnancies because they are completely unaware of these side effect risks.

Paxil Birth Defects

There have been over a dozen studies completed linking SSRI antidepressants to birth defects. The side effect risk of having a baby with a heart defect is shown to be the highest for those women who use Paxil compared to other antidepressants. This is largely why Paxil earned a “D” in the FDA pregnancy classification while other SSRI antidepressants earned a “C.”

Some of the common birth defects linked to Paxil include:

• Abdominal defects
• Anencephaly
• Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
• Cranial and brain defects
• Craniosynostosis
• Developmental delays
• Gastroschisis
• Heart defects
• Intellectual disabilities
• Omphalocele
• Physical defects
• Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn (PPHN)
• Premature birth
• Right ventricular outflow obstruction
• Septal wall defects (atrial, ventricular)
• And more

Filing a Paxil Birth Defect Lawsuit

If you were prescribed Paxil and later gave birth to a baby with birth defects it is important to know your legal options. Help is available. Visit the Zoloft, Paxil, Celexa, Lexapro & Prozac SSRI Antidepressant Birth Defect Class Action Lawsuit Investigation page where you can receive a free legal review. There are highly experienced Paxil lawsuit attorneys currently investigating a number of Paxil pregnancy side effects, including premature labor, abdominal birth defects, abdominal hernia, cranial birth defects, spina bifida, heart defects, clubfoot, other limb abnormalities, PPHN, and many more.