SSRI SHOCKER: Anxiety and depression drugs CAUSE BIRTH DEFECTS according to scientific studies

A growing number of medical experts are urging the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to strengthen warnings regarding the use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)—a common class of antidepressants—during pregnancy. In a public panel hosted Monday by the FDA, a group of psychiatrists, biologists, obstetricians, and mental health experts highlighted the potential risks SSRIs pose to developing fetuses and called for better informed consent practices.

• Experts urge the FDA to strengthen warnings on SSRIs during pregnancy, citing research linking the drugs to risks such as cardiac birth defects, postpartum hemorrhage, miscarriage, preterm birth, and impaired neurodevelopment in children.
• Panelists said pregnant women are often not given adequate informed consent about the risks of taking SSRIs, despite evidence that these drugs cross the placenta, may disrupt fetal organ development, and could raise the risk of adolescent depression.
• Some panelists questioned the effectiveness and safety of SSRIs overall, noting that withdrawal is difficult for many users and that recent studies found minimal benefit compared to placebos, while other experts pushed back, defending their use in serious cases.
• Doctors proposed new approaches to inform patients, including a boxed warning, FDA-issued letters to physicians, and QR-coded labels linking to educational videos—though the FDA has not yet announced any regulatory changes.

Antidepressants During Pregnancy Raise Risk of Birth Defects, Doctors Tell FDA

FDA Commissioner Marty Makary opened the discussion by citing studies that have linked SSRI use during pregnancy to a range of complications, including postpartum hemorrhage, pulmonary hypertension, cognitive developmental issues, and cardiac birth defects. He emphasized that serotonin, the neurotransmitter affected by SSRIs, plays a key role in fetal organ development. Makary also raised broader concerns about the increasing prevalence of antidepressant prescriptions, arguing that addressing root causes of depression is essential.

Several panelists shared alarming research. Biologist Michael Levin presented studies showing that SSRIs disrupted organ development in chick and frog embryos.

Dr. Adam Urato, a maternal-fetal medicine specialist, warned that SSRIs cross the placenta and affect the fetal brain, saying, “Never before in human history have we chemically altered developing babies like this.” Others pointed to studies suggesting that children exposed to SSRIs in utero are more likely to develop depression during adolescence.

A key criticism was that many women are not fully informed about these risks when prescribed SSRIs. Clinical psychologist Roger McFillin noted that consent often comes too late—after fetal exposure has already occurred.

Dr. Josef Witt-Doerring, a former FDA officer, proposed innovative solutions such as QR codes on prescription bottles linking to educational videos, while Urato advocated for a boxed warning on SSRI packaging.

FDA adviser Dr. Tracy Beth Høeg also acknowledged that current drug labels fail to reflect recent research highlighting increased risks of miscarriage, preterm birth, and negative neurodevelopmental outcomes. Despite growing evidence, the FDA has not yet indicated whether it will revise existing guidance.

The panel also sparked debate over the efficacy of SSRIs. Critics like Dr. Joanna Moncrieff argued that the drugs offer only minimal benefits over placebos and warned of overprescription and dependency. Moncrieff cited a study showing 80% of long-term SSRI users struggled to discontinue the medication. A recent JAMA Psychiatry study found that withdrawal symptoms after discontinuing SSRIs were generally mild, but critics argued that it overlooked those who used the drugs long-term.

The event drew backlash from some psychiatrists who defended SSRI effectiveness. Dr. Joseph Goldberg, a psychiatry professor and former pharma consultant, told NBC News that dismissing SSRI benefits is akin to promoting conspiracy theories, calling them “lifesaving” for many patients.

The FDA has not yet made a decision on whether it will issue updated labeling or warnings, but officials said they would take the panel’s findings into consideration. The debate underscores a growing tension between the need for mental health treatment and the imperative to protect developing fetuses from pharmaceutical harm.

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Sources for this article include:

NaturalNews.com

ChildrensHealthDefense.org