How can Folic Acid Help in Pregnancy?

Pregnancy is a time when women need to think about their nutrition, especially because they are eating for two and obstetricians would require them to eat healthy, leading diet experts say. For this reason, obstetricians prescribe supplemental vitamins for pregnant women to keep them and their babies healthy. Thus, folic acid has been prescribed to decrease the incidences of certain birth defects.  However, one might ask how this B-vitamin help in preventing major birth defects. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) even reports that it may help prevent Alzheimer’s disease.

Preventing neural tube defects remains the biggest contribution of folic acid to the lives of unborn babies. Neural tube defects are problems at birth in which the baby is born with incomplete skull or spine --  two common types of which are anencephaly and spina bifida. Anencephaly, on the one hand, is the absence of the cerebral hemisphere or the cerebellum, skull with facial deformities and heart defects. Spina bifida, on the other hand, is the problem with the spine of the baby which may result to nerve damage. As there is still no cure for such diseases, child experts believe that prevention is the only key to minimizing the numbers.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has even fortified food with this vitamin to ensure women of all ages to have adequate amounts of this nutrient to prepare for pregnancy. The mandate included the fortification of grain products such as bread and cereals. After starting the fortification program of different everyday food, the number of cases of anencephaly and spina bifida lowered down. About 1,000 babies are born healthy and free of major defects at birth due to this program. Taking this supplement prevents 50 to 70 percent of brain and spinal problems among newborn babies.

With the help of careful study, it was also found out that certain medications taken during gestation may cause this physical defect. Apparently Zoloft, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), is one of those medications that may cause it. Women who have taken Zoloft while they still have the baby in their womb have found several materials about this at the www.zoloftsertralinebirthdefects.com.

URL References:

nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/neuraltubedefects.html
nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/1017.html
cdc.gov/NCBDDD/birthdefects/data.html
cdc.gov/ncbddd/folicacid/data.html

Pfizer Faces Multiple Lawsuits Due to Claims Against Zoloft

A group of mothers banded together against Pfizer, claiming their children suffered from birth defects because they have taken Zoloft while they were still pregnant, leading newspapers report. Even though selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors may help manage the anxiety and depression that one might feel while having a baby, these women would still not risk the life of their baby. These women claim that Pfizer has not adequately warned them of the possible problems that their babies might have because of their exposure to Zoloft. Proper public alert or warning of the risks associated with the medication was also left out by the company.

Read more about it at: Large Number of Zoloft Birth Defects Lawsuits Filed in West Virginia Court

How a Child with Anxiety Sees Things

One may not be able to see at first glance that a simple fidgeting boy or girl during important events may have been evident of a much bigger cause than stage fright, child experts say. It is one way to be afraid of being under the spotlight but to these excessive worrying often stems from a deeper reason which some may say as an anxiety disorder. General anxiety disorder among children has seen to be the most common mental disorders, according to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). The said organization has even said that a 25.1 percent of 13 to 18 year old are under its spell.

The Effects of Antidepressants on Babies

Pregnancy sometimes causes depression but taking antidepressants while pregnant proved bothersome for women.  Spreading in the news like wildfire, the risks associated in using antidepressants is a hot topic.  Complaints about those drugs have caught the attention of the Food and Drug Administration .  Purchasing antidepressants is easy because many of its formulations are available in the market.  Depressed men and women are not the only ones who use antidepressants but also those that are suffering from diabetes. Simultaneous treatment of depression and diabetes , as was seen in many researches.

Because of the increasing number of men and women taking antidepressants, the FDA has been trying to warn the public of the possible risks. Toward creating new markets and increasing acceptability among women, some pharmaceutical companies are even marketing antidepressants that are safe to take during

SSRIs Causes High Risk of Nueral Tube Defects among New Born

There is a slight increase in risk of neural tube defects among babies exposed to selective seretonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), according to a new analysis based on national data from Finland.  According to a study, about 22 out of 10,000 babies were born with the defect compared to only 9 out of 10,000 babies born to mothers who didn't take SSRIs.

The increased risk of heart defects that occurred among those whose mothers had used not only used SSRIs such as Prozac but also Zoloft and Celexa has reached nearly 500,000 Danish children, a recent study quoted Dr. Heli Malm as saying.

Zoloft Birth Defects Include Autism

Zoloft is an antidepressant medication that has been linked with autism spectrum disorder. Autism spectrum disorder is a complex developmental disability which can cause problems with communication and social interaction. Though autism has no known cure, treatments can be made to minimize the symptoms of the condition. Some of these treatments are behavioural therapies to reinforce positive behaviour and remove or minimize unwanted ones. These therapies can also be in conjunction with medications just like talk therapies and antidepressants in kids with OCD.

Symptoms of Autism

Generally, these signs and symptoms are seen in people with autism regardless of the severity of the condition.

Zoloft and Antidepressants' Effect on Pregnancy

When a woman gets pregnant, she cannot always expect an ideal pregnancy. Sometimes, situations arise that need immediate attention and medical treatment. In cases when a pregnant patient is diagnosed to have mood disorders or depression, a doctor may give her medication to address this problem. These medication could come in a class of drug known as Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI) like Zoloft, which is now said to link to miscarriage among pregnant women.

Doctors prescribe Zoloft to patients to treat a variety of disorders such as depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, premenstrual dysphoric disorder, social anxiety disorder, and panic attacks. Zoloft is manufactured by leading pharmaceutical company, Pfizer, and is a popular antidepressant. However, there are emerging studies that link this drug to several birth defects in newborns born to women who took this medicine during pregnancy.

Studies Reveal Risks for Infants whose Mothers take Zoloft

Recent studies on the serious side effects of the antidepressant drug Zoloft reveal that mothers who took the drug during their pregnancy may give birth to a child with defects.

Zoloft which is manufactured by Pfizer, Inc. is a selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor (SSRI) used to treat several disorders because of its ability to increase the serotonin level in the brain.  Among the disorders that could be treated with Zoloft as approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are depression, social anxiety disorder, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), panic disorder, premenstrual dyphoric disorder (PMDD) in patients 18 years old and above and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) among patients aged 6-17 years old.