[SideCrow]

While I was pregnant, my gyn had me on an SSRI [I'm not positive of which one but I think it was Zoloft and then later Lexapro.] I was in an abusive relationship, her dad is was an active alcoholic and I gave birth unexpectedly, and alone, so I did have difficult post partum depression and anxiety as well.
We had the risk versus benefit discussion, and frankly, I don't know that I was able to make the decision as to what was best. I *am* a nurse myself, but the situational stressors were incredibly difficult. My ex is in the military and I had called the family advocacy center because he was chasing me with a gun. Under his direction, because he said it would ruin his career if I didn't, I later told his supervisors that he was fine, not a threat. His response was to commit me to a psychiatric unit to establish a history of me being the unstable spouse. It was horrible.
A year or so later, I had my child. When she was about five months old, I literally escaped on foot with her, walking to a motel a few miles away, hiding there until a friend in another state could rescue us. When she was ten months old, she fell ill with a respiratory infection and I took her to the hospital. They did chest x rays, and while her lungs were clear, her poor spine showed up with a jagged angle, not even a curve, like regular scoliosis, but the vertebrae pointed at a 44 degree angle behind her heart. It turned out that 3 to 4 of her vertebrae are collapsing on one side, stacking at that angle because they are missing half of the bone. Further x rays found that she is missing a rib on one side, and on the other two ribs are fused together. The missing rib is not really a big deal, but the fused ribs ARE, because they are anchoring down that side. The ribs that are fused cannot expand properly, so she cannot grow properly on that side. Eventually it could lead to that lung getting a little bit squished, as well as obvious slumped over posture and pain. If you looked at her now [age 8] you would see she cannot stand straight - one shoulder is higher than the other.
As she started losing baby teeth, new defects started presenting. The dentist says she has a condition that occured fetal growth ...also bone related, and she simply does not have adequate enamel on her teeth. They are decaying rapidly and at this young age she already needs crowns and has had 9 cavities regardless of good brushing.
She also shows signs of depression.
Has anyone else had a similar experience of a baby exposed to SSRI in utero?

[ShaggyChic_1201]

I've never been pregnant but I wanted to express my genuine sorrow for you and your daughter.

[pinkbutterfly]

oh hon...I'm so sorry you have been through all that you have been through...and what you are enduring now. i have not experienced any of it, but i just wanted to send you some *hugs*

[onionknight]

*hug*

You genuinely sound like such a strong woman. I am sending love and support to you and her daughter.

I have never had a child, but if I was in your place, I would feel exactly as you do. I'm sure there are others who have given birth to a child with a defect do to antidepressants.