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What is Paxil?
Paroxetine (Paxil marketed as) is a drug commonly prescribed to treat depression. Since the drug is a selective inhibitor of serotonin reuptake (SSRIs), which works by altering the balance of serotonin (neurotransmitter) in the brain, the psychiatric community believes helps lift the mood. Paxil use is associated with a number of adverse side effects, including increased risk of birth defects when used by pregnant women. Paxil is one of those drugs that carry a stronger warning of grade D, which was changed from an initial? C? one by the end of 2005. This means that studies or marketing of this drug in pregnant women have reported a risk to the fetus, however, still allowed to be sold to consumers despite potential risks.
Paxil Heart Defects
Based on the results of various studies that were reported by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2005, it was found that women who took Paxil during the first three months, or trimester, of pregnancy were one and a half to twice as likely to give birth to a baby with heart defects. The comparison group comprised of women who took other anti-depressants. Atrial and ventricular septal heart defects were mainly reported in most of these studies. These are basically holes in the walls of the chambers of the heart. Although some of these defects are minor and require no treatment, others may need to be treated with surgical procedures.
FDA's warning suggested that Paxil should only be prescribed during pregnancy if the apparent benefits of the drug are given preference over the potential risks involved. Therefore, if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant, you should discuss the risks and benefits of the drug in detail with your physician. You should also try to find out about the alternative treatment options that may be available.
Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn (PPHN)
The use of SSRIs including Paxil has been linked with PPHN. It is a rare type of heart and lung condition in which the newborn baby is unable to adapt to breathing outside the womb. In severe cases, the child may be put on a ventilator. Extreme cases may result in multiple organ damage, such as brain damage, as well as death in some cases.
A study conducted by Chambers et al. in 2006 indicated that newborns whose mothers had started taking an SSRI such as Paxil after twenty weeks of becoming pregnant are six times more likely to develop PPHN than the general population. Another study by Källén et al. reported a significant relationship between the occurrence of PPHN and the use of antidepressant drugs such as Paxil during the first trimester of pregnancy. No association between the use of the SSRI drug during the third trimester of pregnancy and PPHN was found by the study conducted by Andrade et al. The FDA updated its safety warning in December 2011. As the review of more recent studies yielded additional findings that had to be taken into account, it was concluded that a final decision cannot yet be established about the relationship between the use of SSRIs and the development of PPHN.
Anencephaly
This fatal birth defect that adversely impacts the functioning of the brain has also been linked with the use of Paxil. The June 2007 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine revealed that exposure to paroxetine significantly increased the risk of anencephaly, along with craniosynostosis and omphalocele. The latter two involve skull and abdominal wall abnormalities.
Do you have a Paxil birth defect lawsuit?
If you or a loved one had a child born with a birth defect and Paxil was used during pregnancy, particularly during the first three months, you or they will typically be eligible to file a lawsuit. This will be against the drug manufacturers and a claim can be made for compensation for the funds spent in treatment as well as for the pain and suffering before and after.
