There are those women who plan on becoming pregnant – who take all the steps necessary to begin trying to conceive – and others who are surprised by their pregnancies. In either case, proactive medical care is essential to the health of the baby and the mother. For those planning their pregnancies, there are many steps that they take prior to conception including a preliminary doctor’s visit for a check-up and the adoption of preventative lifestyle changes including a better diet and the elimination of alcohol and caffeine.

In addition to these preliminary steps, however, it is important for those women who will soon begin trying to get pregnant to consider the medications that they are currently taking and whether or not they will support a healthy pregnancy and delivery, as well as not having any adverse effect on the baby once it is delivered.

Unfortunately, there is much that is not known about many of the medications that we take on a daily basis. For instance, Paxil® - a Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI) that is used by millions of people to treat depression and anxiety – is normally safe and effective, but if taken during pregnancy it has the ability to increase a woman’s risk of giving birth to a child with PPHN.

Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension in the Newborn, or PPHN, is a very serious condition wherein the natural breathing process of a newborn is compromised. Rather than arteries expanding to receive blood flow to and from the lungs, where it is oxygenated and then delivered throughout the body, arteries remain constricted and blood flow is inhibited. The result of PPHN – sometimes even with aggressive treatment – is respiratory distress and even failure.

With such possibilities connected to the use of Paxil® during pregnancy you would think that pregnant women – and soon to be pregnant women – are warned against taking the drug. But the truth is that information is not as forthcoming as it should be; women who are considering becoming pregnant should be sure to examine the risks of their current medications including Paxil®.

Popularity: 34% [?]

Share This