What are the Dangers of Prozac?

Prozac (fluoxetine) is one of a group of antidepressants known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI). Prozac first entered the US market in 1987 and is approved by the FDA for the treatment of depression, anxiety, and panic disorders. In recent years Prozac has been linked to an increased risk of Prozac birth defects if taken during pregnancy.

SSRIs like Prozac are some of the most widely prescribed antidepressants on the market in the US. Prozac and other SSRIs are frequently prescribed to pregnant women to control depression that affects a significant percentage of women during pregnancy.

Unfortunately, many women were unaware of the potential for Prozac related birth defects that SSRI medications such as Prozac may cause. Studies show that women who take Prozac when pregnant have a significantly higher risk of having a baby with a Prozac heart defect, Prozac Lung defect, or other Prozac birth defect.

Studies link Prozac to serious birth defects

Recent studies are raising the public’s awareness of the connection between antidepressant use during pregnancy and Prozac birth defects. Thousands of lawsuits have been filed against the makers of Prozac and other SSRI drugs on behalf of families who have been affected by Prozac birth defects.

In 2006 a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine demonstrated that women who take an SSRI like Prozac when pregnant are much more likely to have a child with a Prozac birth defect. Women who took Prozac when pregnant were six times more likely to have a baby born with Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension in Newborn (also known as PPHN). Prozac related PPHN is a birth defect affecting the child’s level of oxygen in the bloodstream.

This 2006 study prompted the FDA to mandate stronger warnings on the labels of Prozac and other SSRI medications about the connection between Prozac and birth defects. Another report in Pediatrics showed a correlation between Prozac usage during pregnancy and an increased danger of neurological and heart defects.

Some of the birth defects associated with prenatal Prozac use include

• PPHN (persistent pulmonary hypertension in newborn)
• Neural tube defects
• Infant Omphalocele
• Heart defects
• Miscarriage
• Spina bifida
• Cleft lip / Cleft palate
• Craniosynostosis / Mishappen head
• Autism spectrum disorder (ASD)

In June 2011 a research article from Finland found that Paxil and Prozac are associated with an increased risk of birth defects. The study was published in Obstetrics & Gynecology and examined national data on births in Finland from 1996 to 2006. This research revealed women who take Prozac while pregnant are 4 times more likely to have a newborn with a Prozac ventricular outflow tract defect compared to women who did not take Prozac. And women who took Prozac during pregnancy doubled the chance of their baby being born with a hole in the heart.

Does Prozac also cause Autism?

A July 2011 study published online in the Archives of General Psychiatry found a link between Prozac and other SSRI use during pregnancy and the risk of having a child with Autism Spectrum disorder. The research was spearheaded by Kaiser Permanente and found that mothers who took an SSRI (including Prozac) were twice as likely to have a child that develops autism.

Filing a Prozac birth defect lawsuit

If your child was born with a Prozac related birth defect, you should speak with an experienced Prozac lawsuit attorney right away. A Prozac birth defect can be life-threatening, require corrective surgery, years of expensive medical treatment, and cause the child and family stress and pain.

If you or a loved one took Prozac while pregnant and has a child with a Prozac birth defect, you may be eligible for compensation for your medical bills, pain, and suffering. Contact An Attorney For You and you will be connected to a Prozac attorney.