Fears over antidepressant use while pregnant (Warning: infant loss)

[Lily's_Mom]

Deaths unexplained; Effexor cited as possible contributor, risk factor

Warning: video in link may be triggering.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/story/2011/09/19/bc-depressionbabies.html

Two B.C. families whose infants died inexplicably are sounding the alarm about mothers taking antidepressants while pregnant.

Both mothers took Effexor, which Health Canada has warned can have adverse effects on babies.

“I took the pills. I didn’t question. I trusted my doctor,” said Christiane Shultz, whose son Matthew died shortly after his birth in Kamloops in 2009.

An autopsy did not determine a cause of death. However, it listed the antidepressant drug taken by his mother as a contributing factor.

I just wanted to share this where pregnant women, or women thinking about becoming pregnant, would be most likely to see it.

[Kkrpata]

Thanks for sharing.  I didn't read the story but it's scary to think how blindly people trust their doctors.  I trust my doctor A LOT, however I am convinced my last miscarriage was related to an over the counter medication she said was safe to use.  Even though I was extremely sick and new the risks were small, they don't seem small when they happen to you.  :(

[mistymama]

That is so very sad.

I used to be more relaxed about pregnancy - I would take Tylenol, eat deli meat without heating and after what happened with my baby Gavin, I have an entirely different outlook.

Growing a baby is such a fragile process - so much can go wrong. Infections do happen, drugs to harm, and yes, while the risk is usually pretty low .. it can happen to you. It happened to me, and trust me, once it does, you would go back in time and do anything and everything in your power to change.

We will never know for sure what happened to Gavin - but I will always wonder about infection, the times I took benadryl to sleep, a vitamin deficiency, etc.

I'm so sorry that Mom lost her baby, and so sorry the doctors made her feel it was totally safe to take that drug. So very sad.