Many people who read my blog have been sending in questions. I figured this was the perfect outlet to begin answering any questions you may have. If you would like a topic covered, you can either message me on the Facebook group, "Epilepsy and Pregnancy" (it's a closed group, so you'll have to join) or by leaving comments on one of my posts. I promise to get to them as they come in.
Disclaimer: I am NOT a doctor and have no medical background. This is just my findings on each subject. Before making any decisions regarding your health or your child's, please consult with your neurologist and physician.
Question: There is lots of stuff and people out there that have had a baby on seizure medications, but what about women who have had a baby with seizure meds and a anti-depressant? I would love to know the outcome of someone on both!
It's no secret that both anti-seizure and anti-depressant medications are high-risk pregnancy medications. Like with any medication, you need to weigh the risks, benefits, pros and cons during pregnancy. It's a discuss that should be had with both your physician and OB/GYN before (I can't stress that enough) trying to conceive.
In one of my first posts, I posted the current AED and pregnancy registry findings. You can view that here.
In the case of anti-depressants, it all has to do with dosage and the specific-type of anti-depressant that a person is taking. Just like with AEDs, some are more dangerous than others, but all of them come with certain risks. The Mayo Clinic posted an article online in August 2012 about anti-depressants during pregnancy. You can view that here:
Are Anti-Depressants Safe During Pregnancy?
This basically says that there are risks, but they are low, and suggests the safer medications that a person could take as options during pregnancy.
The website BabyCenter posts findings from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) on the subject as well:
Anti-depressants and Pregnancy
This article specifically tells women to not take Paxil (generic: Paroxetine) during pregnancy and outlines that many children that are born to women on anti-depressants inherit a serious lung development problem and about one-third (1/3) of newborns that are born to women that took SSRIs during pregnancy experience severe withdrawal symptoms once they are outside of the womb.
The combination of anti-epileptics and anti-depressants can increase the chances of malformations in a newborn or create complications after birth. The decision must be made with the individual and their doctor to find the safest course of action for both mom and baby.
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