Posted by Racer on January 20, 2006, at 20:53:18
In reply to Effexor xr and pregnancy, posted by xoxstacey on January 20, 2006, at 16:19:58
Sorry, can't say that I've taken Effexor during pregnancy, because I'm being treated now for infertility, but I have done some research on the subject.
The first place to check is http://www.rxlist.com. They show, on the warnings page, the category for each drug. Effexor is probably Category C, since most of the serotonergic drugs are. The good news is that most of the teratogenic damage to a fetus would be done in the first trimester. The bad news is that you'll probably want to taper off shortly before birth, but maybe not. Talk to your doctor.
Another good resource is http://www.motherisk.org. It's a good place to check for information about what drugs really are safe or dangerous in pregnancy.
Also, the risks of NOT treating depression during pregnancy can be pretty profound, too. It really does affect the fetus.
The only AD, by the way, that I know to be Category B, is Wellbutrin. I don't know if you've tried it, and it may not be for you, but it's probably worth talking to your doctor about it. Buspar, an antianxiety drug, is also Category B.
Good luck, and have a nice baby!
poster:Racer
thread:601154
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20060115/msgs/601288.html