Pregnancy is defined as the gestational process, comprising the growth and development within a woman of a new individual from conception to birth.   The duration of pregnancy is about 266 days or 38 weeks from the day of fertilization but on the based on the first day of the menstrual cycle, it lasts 280 days or 40 weeks.  It is usually divided into three trimesters, each lasting for about three months.   All throughout pregnancy, the physical condition of the woman and the baby is regularly checked to ensure that both individual are in good shape.  Drugs taken during pregnancy and the health condition of the mother significantly affect the health of the newborn and maycausesome birth defects like Paxil Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension.

According to a side effect study of SSRI medications, infants who were born to mothers who were taking the drug during pregnancy are 6 times more likely to develop PPHN than those who were not exposed.  When the normal circulatory system of the newborn fell short on adapting to the breathing outside the womb, persistent pulmonary hypertension occurs.  Usual manifestation includes respiratory distress, rapid heart rate, rapid breathing, cyanosis, low oxygen level and heart murmurs.   PPHN is a life-threatening but rare condition and is seen mostly on term or near-term neonates.

On February 2006, the New England Journal of Medicine published a study which pointed out that women who were on SSRI like Paxil, during the 3rd trimester of pregnancy are at greater risk of having a baby with PPHN than those who weren’t taking any medication.   Moreover, pregnant women who had Paxil during pregnancy are allegedly 1 ½ to 2 times more likely to give birth to a child with life-threatening heart malformations. With these, the FDA has released a public health advisory warning the health care providers about the increased risk of developing birth defects on newborns exposed to Paxil during pregnancy.  The drug’s pregnancy category has also been changed from category C tocategoryD, indicating a stronger warning about intake during pregnancy.

There have been reports of Paxil PPHN and other congenital defects. Health care professionals are advised to prescribe Paroxetine-containing medications like Paxil if and only if other treatment options were tried but to no avail.  Pregnant woman who are to take Paxil must have the adequate information on the possible effects and actions of the drug.  This must first be discussed between the woman and her health care provider.

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