A retrospective study has suggested that the antidepressant Paxil may cause birth defects. The study found a greater number of babies born with birth defects to women who took Paxil during the first trimester of pregnancy, including an increase in heart defects.
A Third Above the Usual Rate
Researchers examined the medical records of babies born to some 3,600 women who took Paxil or other antidepressants during their first trimester. A preliminary analysis showed Paxil use increased the amount of birth defects by a third above the typical rate.
Comprehensive studies of Paxil's effects on pregnancy have never been performed.
GlaxoSmithKline Does Not Admit Causal Link
Although Paxil's manufacturer, GlaxoSmithKline, say they intend to include this information in the warnings about Paxil's possible side effects, the company stated that, despite what the study shows, it has not concluded that there is a definite, causal link between the drug and the increased birth defects.
It sure would be nice if you could believe the TV ads and swallow a magic pill to have all of your worries and fears disappear.
While a drug solution may provide some initial improvement in your symptoms, because you are not using a natural solution to address the underlying cause you, or in this case your unborn child, are at risk of suffering side effects that can typically make your original symptoms pale in comparison.
There are may potential dangers of antidepressants, and if you are not familiar with them it would serve you well to start reviewing them. And Paxil, in fact, holds more risks for unborn babies than the ones mentioned here; it can also cause withdrawal symptoms in newborns.
Not only are antidepressants dangerous, but in fact there is very little difference between most antidepressants and placebos. In the vast majority of cases it may be that a benefit is felt because the person taking the pill believes that the pill will heal their depression, rather than the pill itself doing anything at all. And if that is the case, why not use a method that does not involve potentially toxic chemicals?
There are far safer, healthier options for beating depression than taking dangerous drugs--options that truly address the underlying cause of the depression: