It’s been said that knowledge is power and this is by far especially true when it comes to our health and the health of the people that we love. We are a society that is armed with information like never before – especially with the resources provided by the Internet – and we use this information to make the best choices we can regarding our continued health. After all, we have all been told how important it is to be our own advocates in our health care and we are rising to the challenge in numbers – ready to stand up for what we know to be right.

So how is it with all of this information at our disposal that we remain unaware of the connection between one of the world’s most popular antidepressants and a condition that affects newborn babies?

Paxil® is a historically safe and effective medication taken by millions of people worldwide; a part of the Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI) family of drugs that helps mitigate the symptoms of depression and anxiety. But it has been shown that taking Paxil® during pregnancy is not as safe as many people have been led to believe.

In fact, women who continue to take Paxil® during their pregnancies run a six times higher than average risk of giving birth to a baby that suffers from Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension in the Newborn – or PPHN.

PPHN is a rare condition that impacts a baby’s ability to breathe normally on their own. Following birth, the arteries of healthy babies expand to receive blood flow to and from the lungs; with babies that suffer from PPHN, the arteries remain constricted and blood is not able to flow. The result of this constriction can be respiratory distress and even respiratory failure.

With information, however, disseminated as it should be to medical caregivers, pregnant women, and those women considering pregnancy, the threat of Paxil® related PPHN can be diminished.

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