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Paxil Heart Defects

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A link between Paxil and heart defects in infants was described in two studies that examined the use of Paxil and other SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) during pregnancy. Each study found an increased risk of heart defects in the children born of mothers who took an SSRI such as Paxil.

FDA Warns about Paxil Heart Defects

Even before these two studies were conducted, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) sent out a Public Health Advisory to doctors and patients, warning that the risk of congenital malformations (especially of the heart) is increased by the use of Paxil (paroxetine) in the first trimester of pregnancy. This advisory was issued in late 2005, after data collected by the FDA showed a link between Paxil and heart defects.

Then in 2006, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) warned pregnant women to avoid taking Paxil. ACOG officials specifically noted the link between Paxil and heart defects.

Paxil Use Before the Pregnancy Is Known

Antidepressants such as Paxil are the most-prescribed medications in the United States, given to patients far more often than even the drugs used to treat high cholesterol, diabetes, and high blood pressure. Many women of childbearing age take Paxil, and of course a woman can be pregnant for a significant amount of time before she realizes that she is indeed pregnant. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about half of pregnancies in the U.S. are unintended.

The use of an SSRI such as Paxil during the early days of a pregnancy, when a fetus is just beginning to develop, may pose some risks to her baby. Most birth defects develop during the first trimester of pregnancy. For instance, women who take Paxil during the first trimester are more likely to deliver a baby with a heart defect than women who take no antidepressants at all.

The Latest Studies

A 2007 study performed in association with the CDC describes an increased risk of neonatal heart defects for the infants of obese women who used an SSRI such as Paxil during pregnancy. The study was performed in association with the CDC and was published in The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), one of the most highly regarded medical journals in the world.

A second study published in 2007 in NEJM indicated a link between Paxil and heart defects that were described as "right ventricular outflow tract obstruction defects," in which blood flow from the heart to the lungs is obstructed. The findings indicated that women who took Paxil during the first trimester had a three-times higher risk of giving birth to a baby with this heart defect.

Lung/Heart Defect Risk, Too

In addition to Paxil’s heart defect risks, a lung and heart condition called PPHN (persistent pulmonary hypertension) has been found to be more likely among infants whose mothers took an SSRI after the 20th week of pregnancy, which is about the halfway point in pregnancy. Babies with PPHN have difficulty getting adequate oxygen to their lungs, and they may suffer from heart failure.

Get an Attorney's Opinion and Assistance

If your baby has a medical condition that you suspect may be linked to your use of Paxil or another medication, learn about your legal options when you contact an experienced lawyer. If Paxil caused a heart defect or other medical problem, you may be eligible for monetary compensation for your hospital bills and other losses.

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