In-Depth: Antidepressants and Birth Defects

HealthDay News reported last week on new research that suggests women who use selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressants may not be putting their babies at risk for birth defects. The authors of two new studies say that though SSRIs such as Paxil and Zoloft may increase the risk for certain defects, the medications' absolute risk for birth defects is "extremely small."

This new research comes in the wake of previous studies that suggested the antidepressant Paxil caused heart defects in babies born to women who took the drug while pregnant. News of this link has even spawned lawsuits by people who feel taking Paxil has adversely affected their babies' health.

The two studies reported in HealthDay News don't mark the first time the link between SSRIs and birth defects has been questioned. In June 2006, German researchers reported doubts about the risks of antidepressants for babies born to women who used the drugs.

Clearly, there's much disagreement on the risks SSRI antidepressants pose to unborn babies. But one thing experts can agree on that women who take antidepressants while pregnant (or who are considering becoming pregnant) should talk to their doctors about their use of these meds. Depression can be dangerous for both mothers and their babies too, and discussing the risks associated with both medication use and the conditions they treat with medical professionals is always the safest route for patients to take.