A new government study emphasizes the fact that certain drugs can carry serious side effects that affect not only the user but also other people, in this case, babies.
This particular study looks into the effects of popular anti-depressants such as Paxil and Prozac on women, especially those who are in the child-bearing age, and they discovered that there's a link between the intake and the increased risk of babies with birth defects.
These types of drugs are called SSRIs or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. They are meant to relieve or manage the symptoms of depression by preventing the reabsorption of serotonin, a neurotransmitter in the brain. In the process, the person's mood is more pleasurable.
This is not the first time SSRIs have been subjected to studies. In fact, per the report of Reuters, the earliest ones had already pointed out the serious side effects of anti-depressants such as Prozac and Paxil that they are strongly advising pregnant women to work closely with their physician in dealing with symptoms of depression and intake of drugs.
This new study, meanwhile, wants to determine whether the risks of birth defects are present regardless of what type of anti-depressant. At least 25,000 women participated in the study, wherein they were quizzed about their antidepressant intake and when they took it. They then compared the results to the number of women who gave birth with babies with abnormalities.
Thy found out that only Paxil and Prozac tend to have a link to birth defects while others such as Zoloft didn't have any. The defect, further, depends on the drug intake. Abnormally shaped skulls are associated with Prozac while Paxil is linked to anencephaly and/or protrusion of the intestines out of the body. Both are associated with heart problems of infants.
Moreover, taking drugs from a month up to the first trimester of the pregnancy can increase the risk of birth defects up to more than 3 times.
