Tag Archives: Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn

Doctors’ warning to women: Don’t take antidepressants during pregnancy

Autism, birth defects, persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN) — these are among the many serious health conditions newborn babies face whose mothers take selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and certain other antidepressant drugs during pregnancy. The side effects of SSRIs are so serious for pregnant women, in fact, that two prominent doctors recently came forward with warnings to pregnant women against taking the drugs, which can cause potentially deadly complications for both unborn babies and their mothers.

GlaxoSmithKline settles case with woman who linked her use of antidepressant Paxil to the death of her infant son

A settlement has been reached in a lawsuit filed against a pharmaceutical company by a Watertown woman who linked her prescribed use of Paxil to the death of her infant son, according to court files. Jennifer Berg of Watertown sued SmithKline Beecham, doing business as GlaxoSmithKline, in October 2007. The complaint said Nathan Berg died in 2004 because of a heart disorder caused by her use of the antidepressant Paxil while she was pregnant.