Effexor, also known as venlafaxine, is an antidepressant used for the treatment of depression, anxiety disorder and panic disorder. According to Drugs.com, Effexor works by helping to restore the balance of certain substances in the brain that are related to mood. Although this medication provides great relief to many, it can cause some undesirable side effects for the mother and risks for the baby when used during pregnancy.
Lifts Mood
The main effect of antidepressants such as Effexor is to lift the user’s mood. Pregnant women have a lot taken out of them, physically and mentally, during those nine months. The drains of pregnancy, in addition to factors that may have been present before pregnancy, can lead to depression in up to 20 percent of pregnant women, according to the March of Dimes. The mood-lifting effect of Effexor can greatly benefit large numbers of women, helping them enjoy their pregnancy.
Risks For Baby
The jury is still out regarding whether Effexor is safe for a baby during pregnancy. Drugs.com says Effexor may be harmful to an unborn baby and may cause problems in a newborn if the mother takes it during the third trimester. However, a study published in the American Journal of Psychiatry that compared the infants of 150 women who used Effexor during pregnancy with infants of women who used other serotonin-reuptake inhibitors and with infants whose mothers did not use any medications found no significant differences between the three groups in the rates of birth defects, miscarriages or stillbirths. OBFocus.com says the small number of human pregnancies exposed to Effexor that have been reported in the literature are insufficient to enable a conclusion regarding risks of Effexor to a baby. If you're taking Effexor and planning a pregnancy, discuss with your doctor whether you should continue taking this medication. In some cases, there may be other medications that are safer.
Withdrawal Symptoms
Babies exposed to Effexor prenatally, particularly during the third trimester, may experience symptoms of withdrawal after birth. These symptoms may include restlessness, the jitters, irritability and poor feeding, and generally don't last longer than a week. You can often minimize withdrawal symptoms by carefully reducing the dose of Effexor in the days right before birth, under a doctor's careful supervision, and giving the newborn small doses of Effexor after birth.
Suicide Risk
The use of antidepressants can increase the risk of suicidal thinking and suicidal behavior. However, depression and other psychiatric conditions in themselves increase the risk of suicide. Because depression is so common during and after pregnancy, pregnant women are a group whose psychiatric status should be carefully monitored, whether or not they are taking an antidepressant. Suicide risk should be monitored by a health professional particularly when a person first starts on antidepressant therapy and when her dose is increased or decreased.
Other Side Effects
Most people who take Effexor report no side effects, but various symptoms can occur. One symptom that can be particularly dangerous for pregnant women is a rise in blood pressure. Online product information for Effexor recommends that patients’ blood pressure be controlled before starting treatment and monitored regularly throughout treatment. Other possible side effects include mydriasis--prolonged dilation of the pupil of the eye--constipation, dizziness, dry mouth, insomnia, loss of appetite, nausea, nervousness, sexual side effects, sleepiness, sweating and weakness.
References
- Effexor XR Product Information Online
- Drugs.com: Effexor
- OBFocus.com: Venlafaxine in Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
- "American Journal of Psychiatry”; Pregnancy Outcome Following Gestational Exposure to Venlafaxine: A Multicenter Prospective Controlled Study; A. Einarson et al; October 2001
- March of Dimes: Depression During Pregnancy
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