Paxil (Paroxetine) is an antidepressant that is prescribed to treat severe depression, panic attacks, anxiety, stress disorders, post traumatic stress, social and obsessive compulsive disorders, and premenstrual dysphoric disorder. Paxil is classified as a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressant. SSRIs are formulated to inhibit the body’s ability to reuptake serontonin-a neurochemical in the body that regulates stress hormones.
Paxil Poses Significant Dangers to Pregnant Women
Shortly after its release on the market in 1992- by pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline- research found that Paxil poses significant health risks to users, including women who are pregnant. Clinical studies revealed that in addition to being linked with a high rate of suicidal tendencies and withdrawal syndrome, Paxil usage in pregnant women can result in a high risk of giving birth to babies born with birth defects.
In one study, findings showed that women who used Paxil during the first three months of their pregnancy were twice as likely to give birth to a heart defect baby or a child suffering from other congenital birth defects than pregnant women who took other SSRIs, or none at all.
The FDA Issues Paxil Warning
After reviewing two studies which found that women who took Paxil during their first trimester were up to two times more likely to give birth to a baby who suffers from heart defects, in December 2005, The United States Food and Drug Administration issued a warning regarding the increased risk of heart defects in newborns born to mothers who took Paxil while pregnant.
Along with this warning, the FDA also reclassified Paxil as a “Category D” drug for women who are pregnant, a rating which signifies an increased risk of potential harm to fetuses.
On November 29, 2006, The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecolgists (ACOG) also recommended that women who are pregnant or are planning to become pregnant in the future should avoid using Paxil.
Paxil Birth Defects
In addition to heart defects, the use of Paroxetine by pregnant women has also been associated with a number of other serious and even deadly Paxil birth defects including:
- Cranial birth defects
- Club foot
- Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn (PPHN)
- Neural tube defects (spinal and brain cord defects)
- Omphalocele (an abdominal wall defect that occurs when the intestines and/or abdominal organs protrude from the navel)
Seek Professional Help from a Paxil Lawyer
It is estimated by the makers of Paxil themselves that more than 2.5 million women have taken Paxil while pregnant. Are you one of them?
If you or someone you love has taken Paxil while pregnant or has given birth to a child with Paxil birth defects, it is important to seek legal help immediately. You may be entitled to file a Paxil lawsuit for compensation. Please click here to contact a qualified Paxil attorney today.
For more information on Paxil prescription drug lawsuits, please visit our Paxil lawsuit blog.
Paxil Birth Defects
According to recent studies, women who take Paxil while pregnant are up to two times more likely to give birth to a child suffering from Paxil birth defects or a heart defect baby, than women who take other SSRIs, or none at all. These birth defects can cause life long health problems and even death. If you were prescribed Paxil and have given birth to a child who suffers from: club feet, persistent pulmonary hypertension in a newborn (PPHN), omphalocele, or craniosyntosis, you should contact a Paxil attorney immediately.
For more information on Paxil birth defects, click here.
Current News...
Paxil Has Been Identified As A Cause Of Birth Defects Like Patent Ductus Arteriosus
[Posted on Jan 23]
The notion of giving birth to an unhealthy child is the worst thing a parent can possibly imagine. If it becomes a reality, it’s tremendously stressful, particularly if the child will need ongoing care for the condition for which they’ve been born with, including corrective surgery. This is something that the parents of children born with patent ductus arteriosus are experiencing and many are learning that it was the result of the mother’s continued use of Paxil during the pregnancy. The makers of Paxil, GlaxoSmithKline, offered no indications of the risks posed to the fetus if the mother takes the drug while pregnant until 2005, over a decade after it was first released on the market.
Continue reading this patent ductus arteriosus article:
Legal Action Is Warranted If Paxil Is The Cause Of Your Child’s Coarctation Of The Aorta
[Posted on Jan 25]
There were some concerns shortly after its release about the potential risks of women using Paxil during their pregnancy but it wasn’t until 2005 when the FDA finally acknowledged the data collected in a number of studies that the public became fully aware of the dangers. The FDA reexamined Paxil and determined that it should be a Category D drug, a classification they use warn against the harm a drug can do to an unborn fetus. This is research that had been going on for years but it was finally to the point that it could no longer be denied that the medication was the cause of birth defects, including the congenital heart disease coarctation of the aorta.
Continue reading this coarctation of the aorta article:
Your Child’s Cleft Lip May Have Been Caused By Paxil Use During Pregnancy
[Posted on Jan 20]
If you’ve recently had a child born with a birth defect you believe was caused by Paxil use during pregnancy and have looked into filing a prescription drug lawsuit, you've learned that it's not an easy process. You may face skepticism from those unfamiliar with the tragedy you’re going through who question your motives for this kind of legal action. You also have to be aware that the makers of Paxil, GlaxoSmithKline, will be fully prepared to defend against this kind of litigation. Large pharmaceutical companies have high powered legal teams that specialize in protecting their clients and GlaxoSmithKline is no exception.
Continue reading this cleft lip article:
