Effexor and Birth Defects

In Memory of Indiana

The attending doctor called the NICU and told them to get ready for an Effexor baby.

In 2007, Christian Delahunty wanted to have another baby. She asked her doctor whether or not she should stop taking Effexor. He told her that there were no studies proving that Effexor is transferred to the baby in utero or via breast milk. Christian continued taking Effexor during her pregnancy.

At birth, Indiana had trouble breathing, and wouldn't cry. After going home, she had to return to the doctor and hospital several times for various health issues.

One morning while napping, Indiana stopped breathing. The paramedics rushed her to Children's Hospital. She was revived after 45 minutes, but had suffered severe brain deterioration. Indiana spent the next five days on life support and passed away September 13, 2008. She was only six weeks old.

In Memory of Matthew Schultz

During those four years, FDA’s MedWatch amassed 647 prenatal
and neonatal Adverse Event Reports for Effexor alone.

Christiane Schultz took Effexor throughout her pregnancy. On February 21, 2009, Matthew Schultz was born with Persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN), a life-threatening disorder in which the newborn's arteries to the lungs remain constricted after delivery, limiting the amount of blood flow to the lungs and therefore the amount of oxygen into the bloodstream.

While crying for the first time, Matthew turned blue and began to crash. The hospital staff did everything they could to save him. Matthew died just two hours after birth.

If you, or someone you know, have been the unfortunate victim of the kinds of side effects from Effexor or Pristiq discussed on this site, please report it immediately to the Federal Food and Drug Administration.

This is very important because this is one way pressure can be put on drug companies to fully disclose the adverse side effects of their antidepressants.