WHY YOU SHOULD BE CONCERNED ABOUT YOUR NEWBORN IF YOU USE PAXIL

Expectant mothers once took prescription medication, drank alcohol (moderately) and smoked cigarettes, as well as illegal drugs…all while they were pregnant. None of these activities were seriously frowned upon (except for the illegal drugs of course) until years and years of research had been gathered. Then these seemingly harmless activities were linked to any number of birth defects. Well now it s happened again. A once harmless drug, after years and years of research, has been transformed into a leading link possibly contributing to Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn (PPHN). And this decade s prescription drug of choice is…Paxil.

In a recent study released from the Federal Drug Administration (FDA), a fetus whose mother uses the drug during the first trimester is six times more likely to develop PPHN than the general population (those not taking Paxil). But for women who have taken the drug for a considerable amount of time may be causing the baby more harm by stopping the use of the drug, than good. Why? To answer that question you need a better understanding of what Paxil is in the first place.

PAXIL AND WHY IT S SO POPULAR

Paxil (medical name: paroxetine) is the most common and heavily prescribed antidepressant on the market. Since 1992, when Paxil first hit the market, doctors and patients have turned it into one of the most successful prescriptions antidepressants in history. Doctors regularly prescribe it to patients suffering from depression, panic attacks and phobias. It was also the first drug to be heavily prescribed to patients who suffer from shyness. Patients who have used Paxil for years sometimes find it hard to survive in the everyday world without it. This includes women who are pregnant or who are thinking of getting pregnant.

PAXIL LINKED TO PPHN

However, studies from other medical institutions and publications have confirmed the FDA report that Paxil could be a leading contributor to Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn. PPHN s symptoms include, but are not limited to:

- shortness of breath or other kung defects

- peripheral edema (swelling of the limbs, especially around the ankles and feet)

- heart defects

WHAT S BEING DONE

The FDA has asked the makers of Paxil to switch the warning on the label from a “C” to a “D” (meaning the risk to the fetus has been witnessed in clinical trials). The makers of Paxil are still performing their own studies in an effort to show the benefits Paxil provides a patient outweighs the potential danger to the fetus.

So, as you can see, being able to function in the world (the positive uses of Paxil), and the risk to an unborn child are diametrically opposed forces in this issue. Weighing the positives against the negatives is one of the reasons the FDA has issued a warning about the potential side effects of Paxil. Now it s up to the consumer to decide if the risk is something they are willing to take.

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