Government report links Prozac to infant health problems

Each year, doctors write more than 18 million prescriptions for the anti-depressant Prozac. Many are prescribed to women, including those who are pregnant. A report from the Center for the Evaluation of Risks to Human Reproduction (CERHR) has concluded that the drug could have serious negative affects on babies born to mothers who take it during the third trimester of pregnancy.

Among the risks cited:

**  Premature delivery
**  Jitteriness
**  Quick, shallow breathing
**  Low blood sugar
**  Low body temperature
**  Poor muscle tone
**  Trouble breathing
**  Weak or absent cry
**  Diminished reaction to pain
**  Not getting enough oxygen while feeding
**  Increased admission to special-care nurseries

The risks have been well known for years. In a 1996 study, 73 infants whose mothers took the drug were found to suffer higher rates of early delivery, smaller babies, increased risk of breathing problems and feeding difficulties, and more admissions to the neonatal intensive care unit.

The CERHR report also noted that breastfeeding mothers who take the pill could retard their infants' early growth. CERHR is part of the federal National Toxicology Program at the National Institutes of Health.

Much of the report repeats warnings that have been issued on the drug in the past. Prozac has been associated with insomnia, restlessness, nausea, and tension headaches. The report also repeated the well-documented fact that the antidepressant has "reproductive toxicity," meaning that it could lead to sexual dysfunction in adults. Other known side effects include dry mouth, constipation, urinary retention, sedation, and weight gain.

Like other SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors), taking Prozac may have far worse consequences. Use of SSRIs has been linked to at least a dozen deaths so far. According to the "The PDR Family Guide To Prescription Drugs," serious – and sometimes fatal – reactions have been known to occur when Prozac is used in combination with other antidepressant drugs known as MAO inhibitors.

Other Prozac-related problems previously reported in Health Watch:

** Taking antidepressant drugs like Prozac can triple their risk of gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding

** British researchers say thousands of children being given unsuitable anti-depressant drugs

** According to the Mayo Clinic, the drugs can cause painful headaches and tooth grinding.

** British authorities warn of link between Prozac and suicide

SOURCES:  “NTP-CERHR Expert Panel Report on the Reproductive and Developmental Toxicity of Fluoxetine,” Center for the Evaluation of Risks to Human Reproduction (CERHR), April 2004.

“Birth Outcomes in Pregnant Women Taking Fluoxetine,” New England Journal of Medicine 1996;335:1010-5.