Antidepressant Side Effects

Effexor, Paxil, Zoloft and Wellbutrin Linked To Birth Defects

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Several antidepressant drugs have recently been linked to negative side effects in developing babies. Side effects of Effexor, Paxil, Zoloft, and Wellbutrin may include permanent or reversible damage to fetal brain development in babies exposed to these drugs during pregnancy. If you have taken an antidepressant drug while pregnant, and feel that you or a loved one has been harmed as a result, you may want to speak with an attorney regarding a possible lawsuit. A lawyer may be able to help you get the compensation you deserve for your injury.

Birth Defects Linked to Antidepressants

In March 2010, the Journal of Pediatrics published a study linking babies who had been exposed to antidepressant drugs during the second or third trimester of pregnancy to developmental delays. The delays identified included later unsupported sitting up and walking as compared to children who were not exposed to antidepressants. The study indicated that children exposed to antidepressants, including both selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), sat up 16 days later and walked about a month later than children who had not been exposed to antidepressants. Research also showed that children exposed to antidepressants had a more difficult time concentrating and occupying themselves for a period of time than did those who had not been exposed to antidepressants.

Other birth defects that have been linked to antidepressant drugs include:

• Brain and spinal cord defect (neural-tube defects)
• Abnormally shaped skull (craniosynostosis)
• Abdominal wall defects (infant omphalocele)
• Club foot
• Anal atresia
• Cleft lip and cleft palate
• Heart and lung birth defects
• Developmental delays

Medication side effects associated with Effexor, Paxil, Zoloft, and Wellbutrin, have posed serious risks to newborn babies.

Popular Antidepressants

Effexor (venlafaxine) is in the class of drugs that are called SNRIs. SNRIs act to increase the levels of serotonin and norepinephrine in the spaces between the cells in the brain. These increased levels allow a more efficient transmission of electrical signals to the brain and help increase an individual’s feeling of well-being. In 2007 the Journal of Pediatrics reported that Effexor side effects include behavioral issues, central nervous system problems, respiratory issues, digestive system issues, and hypoglycemia to babies exposed to the drug. Wyeth Pharmaceuticals is the manufacturer of Effexor.

Paxil and Zoloft are in the class of drugs that are called SSRIs. SSRIs and SNRIs are both used to treat major depression and mood disorders. However the classes of drugs differ in that SNRI antidepressants act on both serotonin and norepinephrine, whereas SSRI antidepressants act selectively on serotonin. Research has indicated that women who use SSRIs in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy face a 40 percent greater risk that their baby will suffer malformations. Additionally, some research has shown that heart defects are 60 percent more likely for women who have used SSRIs during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.

Paxil (paroxetine) has been associated with fetal heart defects when taken during the first three months of pregnancy. When taken during the last half of pregnancy, Paxil side effects have been reported to include a birth defect in newborns called persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn, or PPHN. PPHN occurs when a newborn’s circulation system does not adapt to breathing outside the womb. PPHN is a rare, but life threatening condition. Studies have indicated that women who were taking Paxil during the first three months of pregnancy were one and a half to two times more likely to have a baby with heart malformations than women in the general population. GlaxoSmithKline is the manufacturer of Paxil.

Zoloft (sertraline), when taken during the last half of pregnancy, has also been associated with PPHN. Additionally, Zoloft side effects include septal heart defects, which are defects in the wall dividing the right and left ventricles of the heart, or holes in the wall between the two upper heart chambers (left and right atria). Pfizer is the manufacturer of Zoloft.

Wellbutrin (bupropion) is an antidepressant of the aminoketone class. Studies have indicated that mothers who reported using bupropion during the month prior to pregnancy or in their first trimester faced an increased risk of their babies being born with a heart defect. Researchers also found that babies born to mothers who took bupropion in early pregnancy experienced more than double the risk for specific heart defects as compared to babies whose mothers did not take the drug. In May 2010, reports surfaced in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology indicating that approximately two out of every 1,000 women who took bupropion during the first trimester of their pregnancy faced an increased risk of cardiac birth defects.

Wellbutrin side effects (associated with bupropions) include a birth defect called a left outflow tract defect, which causes interference of the blood flow from the left chamber of the heart to the remaining areas of the body. Such a defect causes a narrowing of the body’s main artery and often requires surgical repair. GlaxoSmithKline is the manufacturer of Wellbutrin.

PLEASE SPEAK WITH YOUR DOCTOR BEFORE DISCONTINUING USE OF EFFEXOR, PAXIL, ZOLOFT, WELLBUTRIN, OR ANY OTHER PRESCRIPTION MEDICATION.

Contact the Law Offices of d'Oliveria & Associates, P.C.

If you believe that you or a loved one has been taking the antidepressant Effexor, Paxil, Zoloft, or Wellbutrin and has suffered as a result, you may want to speak with an attorney today, regarding your potential lawsuit. A lawyer familiar with new developments in the investigation of these antidepressant drugs may be able to help you make important personal and legal decisions.

Please contact the law offices of d'Oliveira & Associates at 1-800-992-6878 or fill out a contact form for a free legal consultation.