The New England Journal of Medicine recently published a study which showed that women taking antidepressants during the first trimester of their preganncy are more likely to give birth to children with birth defects. Although the overall risks are generally small, women should be advised when taking antidepressents, espcially Zoloft, Paxil, Prozac, and Celexa, when pregnant.

These drugs, known as SSRIs (selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors), are associated with birth defects such as heart defects, omphalocele (where the intestines or other abdominal organs protrude from the navel), and congenital problems such as anenecephaly (where a large portion of the brain and skull is gone) and craniosynostosis (where the connections between the skull bones close prematurely), and intestinal defects.