January is National Birth Defects Prevention Month

January is National Birth Defects Prevention Month in the United States, a month dedicated to raising awareness to the causes and cures for birth defects. One key aspect of National Birth Defects Prevention Month is educating women about the risks of birth defects associated with medications.

Read more about the link between medications and birth defects...

Doctors urge caution in SSRI use

Doctors continue to urge caution among pregnant women who use antidepressants in a class known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Doctor Olof Stephansson, a researcher in a recent study to determine infant deaths associated with SSRI antidepressant use, recommended women use the lowest dose possible, if at all.

Read more about the risks associated with SSRI use during pregnancy…

Serotonin syndrome related to antidepressants goes underreported

A new report suggests serotonin syndrome, a potentially fatal condition in which the body produces too much serotonin, goes largely underreported. The leading cause of severe cases of serotonin syndrome is selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor antidepressants (SSRIs) such as Zoloft, Paxil, Celexa and Lexapro.

Read more about serotonin syndrom caused by SSRIs...