Consult With Doctor Before Starting Paxil While Pregnant According To FDA Statement
A member of a group of antidepressants called, Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), the popular prescription drug Paxil and the other drugs in this particular group are typically used in the treatment of depression, anxiety disorders, and some personality disorders. Many women who are pregnant need to know several key points of information especially concerning Paxil and Pregnancy before taking the drug.
Like many other prescription drugs Paxil is known to cause both mild and severe side effects in patients, some of the mild side effects include: nausea, insomnia, drowsiness, headache, stomach discomfort and diarrhea, weight gain/loss, changes in behavior, aggressive behavior, rash, itching, sweating, muscle weakness, sexual dysfunction, joint pain, fever, chills, flu-like symptom, and suicidal behavior. Although these side effects are deemed mild by most doctors, it is important that you see one if you are experiencing any of these side effects.
Paxil has also been known to cause certain birth defects in newborns whose mothers took Paxil during their pregnancy. According to reports most birth defects occur during the first trimester of pregnancy and are known to include several types of cardiac abnormalities in the unborn child. The FDA also released a statement about Paxil. The FDA states: “We are advising health care professionals to discuss the potential risk of birth defects with patients taking Paxil who plan to become pregnant or are in their first three months of pregnancy. Health care professionals should consider discontinuing Paxil (and switching to another antidepressant if indicated) in these patients. In some patients, the benefits of continuing Paxil may be greater than the potential risk to the fetus. FDA is advising health care professionals not to prescribe Paxil in women who are in the first three months of pregnancy or are planning pregnancy, unless other treatment options are not appropriate.”
Before starting Paxil its benefits and potential side effects must be weighed and thought of carefully.The FDA has already made a statement regarding the potential risks of Paxil and Pregnancy because the potential birth defects the drug can cause, for more information about Paxil and if it is right for you please consult with your doctor.