Paxil (paroxetine) is one of a class of medicines called Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs). These drugs increase the activity of an important brain chemical called serotonin. Paxil was first approved in the United States on December 29, 1992 for the treatment of depression. It is manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline, a large, multibillion dollar pharmaceutical company. Information has been emerging that Paxil may cause birth defects. These birth defects include persistent pulmonary hypertension (PPHN), a serious and life-threatening lung condition that occurs soon after birth of the newborn. Babies with PPHN have high pressure in their lung blood vessels and are not able to get enough oxygen into their bloodstream. Other birth defects associated with the use of Paxil by pregnant mothers include craniosynostosis, an abnormally shaped skull, and heart birth defects, such as atrial or ventricular septal defects, conditions in which the wall between the right and left sides of the heart is not completed developed.

If you or someone you know has used Paxil or another type of SSRI while pregnant, and delivered a child with birth defects, such as PPHN, craniosynostosis, or heart defects, contact us online or call us toll free at 1-800-320-2384 to set up a FREE consultation.