A Psychopharmacology article published last summer by T.L Gur and a team from the Perelman School of Medicine (University of Pennsylvania) titled “Central nervous system effects of prenatal selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors: sensing the signal through the noise.” reviews the consequences on the central nervous system (CNS) of prenatal exposure to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor drugs (SSRIs). I found this article today searching through PubMed Health, a medical literature database curated by the United States National Library of Medicine and The National Institutes of Health, where scores of studies demonstrating the risks of SSRI use during pregnancy are readily available.
Stating “Women are increasingly prescribed selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) during pregnancy, with potential implications for neurodevelopment”, this team set out to “review the existing preclinical and clinical literature of prenatal SSRI exposure on serotonin-related behaviors and markers in the offspring” and states their goal was “to determine if there is a signal in the literature that could guide clinical care and/or inform research.”
Four studies the team reviewed “showed SSRI exposure during development enhanced depression-like behavior”, “Half of rodent studies examining anxiety-like behavior (n = 13) noted adverse effects with SSRI exposure. A majority of studies of social behavior (n = 4) noted a decrease in sociability in SSRI exposed offspring.”
The team also noted that “The outcome of one study suggested that children with autism were more likely to have a mother who was prescribed an SSRI during pregnancy.” To be clear, it should be noted that this finding has been replicated many times: SSRI use in pregnancy raises risk for autism.
Due to the fact that the manufacturers of many SSRI drugs have failed time and again to adequately warn women of these risks, thousands of SSRI birth defect lawsuits have been filed in recent years.
If you or a loved one used SSRIs and gave birth to a child with a congenital malformation or who had perinatal complications, you may be entitled to significant financial compensation. For a free, no-obligation case consultation, contact our team of SSRI birth defect lawyers at the information provided below. We have the experience, resources, and skills required to win the justice you deserve. Call today and see how we can help.
(855) 452 – 5529
Our SSRI Birth Defects Lawsuit Information page is a great place to start if you have any questions about SSRIs and Birth Defects.