Effexor: Women Must Weigh the Risks Against the Benefits

Boston, MAWomen who suffer from depression and are pregnant or planning on becoming pregnant must weigh the risk of Effexor side effects. Effexor side effects include a risk of Effexor birth defects, which has been the focus of potential Effexor lawsuits. Although a recent study has shown that some antidepressants are no more effective than a placebo at treating depression, there are also serious risks to being pregnant and having untreated depression. However, women who believe their children were born with Effexor birth defects (or other antidepressant birth defects), say they would not have taken the drug if they had known about the risks.

Those risks include an increased risk of birth defects, including persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN), cardiac defects, abnormally shaped skull, club foot and defects of the brain and spinal cord, in babies exposed to Effexor prior to birth. Furthermore, babies exposed to Effexor before birth could be at an increased risk of developmental delays, including sitting up later and having more difficulty occupying themselves than babies not exposed to SSRIs or Effexor.

Although much research has been done on selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), Effexor, which is a serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI), is often included in the research because it is similar to SSRIs. The main difference is that Effexor affects levels of both serotonin and norepinephrine, while SSRIs affect only levels of serotonin.

Effexor, known generically as venlafaxine, has also recently been linked to an increased risk of miscarriage. A study, conducted earlier this year at the University of Montreal, found that women who use SSRIs early in pregnancy had a 68 percent increased risk of miscarriage before the 20th week of pregnancy. The overall rate of miscarriage in the population is around 20 percent.

Specifically, women who took Effexor had double the risk of miscarriage prior to the 20th week of pregnancy. The study does not prove that taking an antidepressant while pregnant causes the miscarriage, simply that there is a link between taking the antidepressant and a risk of miscarriage.

There is also a risk to the unborn fetus when the mother has untreated depression. This means that women who are depressed and are pregnant or thinking about becoming pregnant should carefully weigh the risks and benefits of taking Effexor while pregnant. Those who are pregnant and concerned about their Effexor use should not discontinue medication without speaking to a medical professional.