Paxil Linked to Risk of Miscarriage

Montreal, QuebecA new study suggests that the list of Paxil side effects might include an increased risk of miscarriages. Use of certain antidepressants during pregnancy has also been linked in studies to an increased risk of birth defects.

The study, conducted at the University of Montreal, found that the use of antidepressants during pregnancy was linked to a 68 percent increase in the risk of miscarriage. According to Montreal-based newspaper The Gazette, the overall rate of miscarriage is approximately 20 percent. For women taking antidepressants, especially Paxil or Effexor, the risk of miscarriage jumps to 34 percent.

The highest risk of miscarriage was seen in women who took Paxil (known generically as paroxetine) or Effexor (known generically as venlafaxine). Women who took Paxil while pregnant had a 75 percent relative increased risk of miscarriage. Women who took Effexor while pregnant doubled their risk of miscarriage.

Higher doses or a combination of antidepressants was also associated with an increased risk of miscarriage.

The study examined records of women who miscarried in Quebec between 1998 and 2003. Of the 5,100 women who miscarried, 284 were prescribed antidepressants. Researchers noted that 5.5 percent of the women who had a miscarriage filled at least one prescription for an antidepressant during the pregnancy. In comparison, 2.7 percent of control subjects experienced a miscarriage but were not taking an antidepressant.

The miscarriages involved in the study all occurred before the 20th week of pregnancy.

The study was published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal. Other studies have linked Paxil to an increased risk of birth defects, including congenital heart defects and persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn.

The researchers suggest that women discuss the risks and benefits of taking antidepressants while pregnant with their doctors. The study cannot say for certain that taking an antidepressant during pregnancy causes miscarriage; it can only show that there is an association between the two.

Women who are pregnant and taking an antidepressant should not discontinue medication without speaking to their doctor.