Definitive Link Found between Paxil and Prozac and Birth Defects

By Thomas Greer | August 31, 2015

Paxil and Prozac and Birth DefectsFor years, scientists have been studying whether or not anti-depressants belonging to the class of drugs called Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRI) cause birth defects. In July of 2015, Reuters reported that “a sweeping government study of thousands of women has found links between the older antidepressants Prozac and Paxil and birth defects, but has cleared other popular treatments in the class, including Celexa, Lexapro and Pfizer’s Zoloft.”

The massive study was published in the British Medical Journal, and looked at cases from 10 different medical centers across the U.S. It reviewed data on “17,952 mothers of infants with birth defects and 9,857 mothers of infants without birth defects, identified through birth certificates or birth hospitals, with estimated dates of delivery between 1997 and 2009.” According to their findings, pregnant women who took SSRIs with paroxetine or fluoxetine early on in their pregnancy had babies with a birth defect “2 to 3.5 times more frequently” than mothers who were not exposed to those drugs.

Which birth defects were the most common?

The researchers acknowledged that they could not evaluate every single reported case of a birth defect linked to SSRIs, instead opting to review those listed in the National Birth Defects Prevention Study. Of the 30 categories of birth defects listed in the NBDPS, only 14 were applicable to their study; of the 14 in question, researchers were able to confirm definitive links to five types of birth defects:

  • Congenital heart defects associated with “right ventricular outflow tract obstruction”
  • Atrial septal defects, or literal holes in the heart
  • Anencephaly, a serious neural tube disorder where parts of the baby’s skull and/or brain are missing
  • Gastroschisis or Omphalocele, where the baby’s intestines are outside of the body
  • Craniosynostosis, which causes the skull to close up before the brain is fully formed, leading to a misshapen head

The good news, of course, is that many mothers can now rest easier about the other SSRIs they were prescribed, as the study found no definitive link between them and birth defects; under a doctor’s supervision, they should be safe. The study also offers further proof and evidence for a defective or dangerous drug claim, which could help families whose children have suffered birth defects get the help they need.

Bailey & Greer, PLLC protects the rights of West Tennessee families whose children were harmed because of defective medical devices and dangerous drugs. Please contact us to schedule a no-obligation consultation at one of our offices in Memphis, Jackson or Nashville.

Posted in Blog, Dangerous Drugs, Defective Medical Devices