Balancing act: Moms-to-be weigh risks, benefits of antidepressants

Image: www.ecobiz.ie

Source: WCFCOURIER.COM

Good friend of mine and fellow advocate Julie Edgington has recently been interviewed by the WCF Courier.

They write:

In 2003, Julie Edgington was among the roughly 13 percent of expectant U.S. women to take an antidepressant during pregnancy. The Waterloo woman started a Paxil regimen a few weeks before she became pregnant with her son, Manie.

"I really didn't feel right about taking it because with all my other children I never took anything - I was even careful with Tylenol," said the mother of five. "I was completely off it by the end of the third month of my pregnancy, but by that time it was too late."

Manie was born with his aorta and pulmonary arteries switched. At just 8 days old he underwent open-heart surgery. Manie will have to repeat the procedure when he is 17 and requires continued care. Edgington and her husband, Russell McNamee, along with several other families across the country, have a lawsuit pending against GlaxoSmithKline, which manufactures Paxil.

Today, Edgington blogs about her experiences. Although Manie's case is rare, she warns other moms that - in her opinion - antidepressant use during pregnancy is too big of a risk.

"What benefits could be great enough to put your child through a lifelong battle with their health?" she asked. "I'm not a doctor, but I would definitely tell someone to try some other type of therapy before taking anything. It's not worth it."


Julie's blog, Birth Defects Caused by Antidepressant, can be viewed HERE

Her son, Manie, is a little diamond and a constant reminder of how difficult it is for expectant mothers to weigh up the benefits v risks when trying to make an informed decision of whether to take Paxil [Seroxat] A decision that cannot be easily made without knowing the full facts - facts kept from doctor's and patients with regard to Paxil [Seroxat] being a teratogen.

Manie Rocks!

Fid

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