Paroxetine Ups Risk of Birth Defects, FDA Says BETHESDA, MD: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced Thursday that the use of paroxetine by a woman during the first trimester of pregnancy increases the risk of her fetus having a birth defect. This information came after GlaxoSmithKline, maker of the Paxil line of paroxetine products, announced that preliminary results from a study suggested an increased risk of birth defects from first-trimester exposure to the antidepressant. Return to Health Organization Advisories |