Study Shows Taking SSRI Antidepressants During Pregnancy Affects Language Development
By Andrea Gressman
A new study has revealed that if a mother takes SSRI antidepressants during her pregnancy that the language development of her child could be adversely affected as a potential side effect. Other SSRI antidepressant birth defects have been linked to the consumption of Zoloft, Prozac, Paxil, Celexa, Lexapro, Effexor, Prozac and other SSRI antidepressants in the past, which has led to the filing of hundreds of SSRI antidepressant lawsuits, but this is one of the first studies to determine that there could be a potential delay in language development as well.
As reported in an October 8, 2012 publication in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences journal, according to U.S. News and World Report, a baby’s ability to hone in on sights and sounds of language may be accelerated by the use of an SSRI antidepressant. However, just because the child is accelerated in this area does not necessarily mean that is a good thing.
Faster Doesn’t Always Mean Better in the Case of an SSRI Antidepressant Language Development Issue
Janet Werker, a psychology professor at British Columbia University, indicated that higher speeds in the learning process are not generally desired. In an interview, Ms. Werker explained, “In our culture we tend to think speeding things up is a good thing, but it’s not necessarily so with infant language development.”
Also, the antidepressant pregnancy study indicated that when depression in the mother was not treated with an SSRI antidepressant this could lengthen the early development of language in the baby. Despite these findings, it remained indeterminable if long-term side effects on the baby’s ability to learn would remain.
An analysis commenced involving pregnant women who were both treated with SSRI antidepressants for their depression and pregnant women who were not treated with an SSRI antidepressant for their depression. A comparison was done on the language development of infants at 6 months, then again at 10 months. Heart rate changes and eye movement when responding to speaker videos were noted; another experiment dealt with responses given by babies in relation to sounds, instead of language.
SSRIs Can Be Linked to a Number of Pregnancy Birth Defects, Causing Grounds for More SSRI Antidepressant Lawsuits
This study is one of many that prove that using SSRIs while pregnant could have serious side effects by potentially causing a number of antidepressant birth defects. Research into the matter has proven a link exists between SSRIs and many types of birth defects, which include the following:
* Anencephaly
* Cleft Lip and Cleft Palate
* Heart Defects – Including Atrial septal defects (ASD)and Ventricular septal defects (VSD)
* Neonatal Adaptation Syndrome
* Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn (PPHN)
* Respiratory Distress
In 2006, PPHN took center stage in an FDA issued safety alert on antidepressant pregnancy use. It has been determined to be potentially fatal due to the damage it causes to the heart and lungs of the infant and the fact that it is nearly impossible to detect in the prenatal stages. According to the National Institutes of Health, a baby’s risk of developing PPHN exponentially increases when a woman is in her last trimester of pregnancy and uses an SSRI antidepressant. Because of this potentially deadly side effect, the number of SSRI antidepressants lawsuits filed against the drug manufacturers has grown exponentially.
File a SSRI Antidepressant Birth Defect Lawsuit
If you or someone you love has experienced one of the many SSRI antidepressant birth defects, including anencephaly, cleft lip and/or cleft palate, a heart defect — including atrial septal defects (ASD) and ventricular septal defects (VSD) — Neonatal Adaptation Syndrome, Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn (PPHN), Respiratory Distress, or delayed language development visit the Zoloft, Paxil, Celexa, Lexapro & Prozac SSRI Antidepressant Birth Defect Class Action Lawsuit Investigation page right away to discuss your potential SSRI antidepressant lawsuit with a qualified SSRI antidepressant birth defect attorney.
Updated October 18th, 2012
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