SSRI Birth Defect Risk May Outweigh Benefits for Some Women

More than 10 percent of women take an antidepressant. An estimated 13 percent of women use antidepressants while they are pregnant. Many of these women are already taking antidepressants when they become pregnant. They are told that the risk of stopping treatment is worse than the risk of birth defects from taking the medication during pregnancy.

Researchers Fear SSRI Birth Defect Risks May Outweigh Benefits

While antidepressants can be effective at alleviating symptoms of anxiety and depression, they are associated with significant health risks, especially when taken during pregnancy. Women who take SSRIs while pregnant are at an increased risk of delivering a child with SSRI birth defects. Popular antidepressants such as Zoloft, Paxil, Lexapro and Celexa are associated with an increased risk of birth defects. Therefore, women who take antidepressants during pregnancy should speak with their doctors and carefully weigh the risks and benefits of these drugs.

The majority of women who take SSRIs use the drugs to treat mild-to-moderate depression. Some researchers are concerned that the risks of these pills greatly outweigh the benefits, especially in pregnant women. They believe that the symptoms of depression or anxiety can be safely and effectively alleviated with psychotherapy and exercise.

Paxil Birth Defect Lawsuits on the Rise

As awareness of SSRI birth defects grows, women from all over the world are filing lawsuits against the drug manufacturers. Faith Gibson, a Canadian woman, has recently filed a class action Paxil birth defect lawsuit in Canada, claiming that Paxil caused her child to be born with a significant heart defect. Her doctor had prescribed Paxil to treat her anxiety. Because she was told the drug would not affect her baby, she continued to take the drug throughout her pregnancy. After her baby was born with a hole in her heart, Gibson learned that SSRIs are associated with a number of birth defects, including:

• Cardiac defects
• Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension
• Atrial septal defects
• Abdominal birth defects
• Spina bifida
• Miscarriage
• Autism Spectrum Disorder

Although her child’s heart problems have resolved, Gibson will have to monitor her frequently. Due to the heart condition, her child is at increased risk of infection, according to her Paxil birth defect class action lawsuit. Gibson is concerned that antidepressant manufacturers have downplayed the risks of SSRI birth defects.

Learn More about Your Legal Rights

If you or someone you care about took Paxil or other SSRIs during pregnancy and delivered a child with birth defects, visit the Zoloft, Paxil, Celexa, Lexapro & Prozac SSRI Antidepressant Birth Defect Class Action Lawsuit Investigation for information about your legal rights. Many women have filed lawsuits against the SSRI manufacturers, alleging that the companies downplayed the risks of SSRI birth defects. They are seeking compensation for their medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering and other losses they experienced.