What happened to the days when OB/GYN's told women not to even drink caffeine? I cannot imagine for the life of me why any decent doctor (who is in essence supporting a woman to deliver a healthy baby)would have any woman on any medication.

Over on Seroxat Sufferers site Fiddaman has some links to "Manie's" story, another gut-wrenching one re: a baby born with a heart defect from Paxil.

Also, whatever the mom does in the first trimester can affect the baby; and smart doctors coach women "in childbearing years" to be cautious about drinking booze, caffeine, medications even 3 months before getting pregnant.

Sorry this is a rant, but honest to God women are carrying a human being in their bodies that deserve to be born healthy without the risk of psych meds ruining their lives before they have a chance at their first breath!

In 2005 a Danish study (Wogelius et al., Maternal Use of Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors and Risk of Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes) concluded:

"We found an association between maternal use of SSRIs during the first trimester and an increased risk of both congenital malformations overall and congenital cardiac malformations. Moreover, maternal use of SSRIs any time during pregnancy was associated with an increased risk of preterm birth. It is unclear whether the effects were causal or due to other factors related to the underlying disease."

Same old story over and over again: "It may as well be the 'illness'..."

Yes, me too, I think these people should be held accountable, and the manufacturers of these drugs with them. Personally, I'd like to see them spend some (rather long) time behind bars. But they're just as hard to get at as Al Capone was.

Sadly, this does not surprise me. Obstetrics and psychiatry seem to be competing over which discipline can cause the most iatrogenic injury. You can find a lot of horrible things at the intersection of reproductive and mental health. It's just amazing what people can accomplish when they work together.

It is sad. What's even sadder is the stance of the patient. In such stories it never seems to occur to the person to question or research the doctor's orders...or even just change doctors.

Perhaps it's the way it ought to be but I never could bring myself to do this. A doctor wanted to give me medicine for PPD that was incompatible with nursing...not only I didn't take it, I never went back there again.

If a doctor cannot deal with an "overanxious" pregnant woman in a way other than giving her drugs then maybe he should consider quitting his job. He's no good at it.

Phil, the bill S. 1375 which will eventually be introduced into the Senate HELP Committee, is about "education and treatment" for depression for pregnant and post partum women. It passed the House overwhelmingly. Anyone with a Senator on the HELP Committee or a connection with their Senator's staff should be having a chat to water down this bill or add cautionary language about not taking meds during prenancy plus the possible lethal side effects post delivery. I talked to my Senator's staff (Mikulski) and she saw no problem with this bill. Some of its backers, like NAMI, are what gave it away for me.

I suffer from severe anxiety attacks and was practically begged by the psych dr. and ob/gyn not to take meds unless it was absolutely necessary-- which I strictly followed. They flat out told me that there are just not enough studies and their gut tells them its not good for developing babies.

As a paralegal at a malpractice firm, "holding the company accountable" right now is only wishful thinking. The politicans in washington will not be quick to help b/c who do you think funds their campaigns?? Big Pharma. Lawyers will be hesitant to get involved because they don't have the necessary science to prove a connetion. Its a loose loose situation right now

I ask you all to reserve judgement and not make blanklet statements until you walk in another's shoes. I am extremely careful about everything I put into my children's bodies- breastfeeding for the first 2 years, homemade organic babyfood, no television - you get the picture. But then there I am, three months pregnant, with a 1-1/2 and four year, and so anxious/depressed I can not eat or sleep, barely functioning. You do what you must to survive - literally survive. With the support of my midwife, MD and therapist I started taking 50mg Zoloft. I got better and went on to deliver a big, healthy baby. We're all just doing the best we can- go easy on us!

Ann,
I don't have kids because I know I wouldn't be any good at it, so I'm not about to jump on you for anything you might do to be a better parent. I've known many women in your situation and you do what you gotta do.

What occurs to me is that I wish so much you lived in a society that would expend its many resources on serious supportive care for you and your other two children during and after your pregnancy so you wouldn't have to resort to taking medication. Rest, proper nutrition, emotional support, lowered stress--none of these things will "cure" serious depression. But each of them do help in its management.

This is the richest country on the planet. How sad we've chosen to hand over billions to defense contractors, auto manufacturers and greedy bankers while leaving you and your family to your own devises.

Best wishes. Enjoy your wee ones.