How are cancer drugs linked with birth defects?

Answer 1

Antineoplastic agents. Drugs given to treat cancer can cause major congenital malformations, especially central nervous system defects. They also may be harmful to the health care worker who is giving them while pregnant.

Answer 2

It depends on what drug you are using. But I think are talking about SSRIs antidepressant drugs. Are you?

SSRIs prevent receptors in the human brain from absorbing serotonin that has already been released. Serotonin helps maintain feelings of well-being in people, so preventing its re-absorption alleviates negative feelings. Unlike other drugs, such as buproprion (Wellbutrin), SSRIs minimally affect noradrenaline and dopamine, which regulate stress levels. SSRIs take several weeks to affect users, and they can cause many side-effects in the process, particularly nausea, somnolence, and sexual side-effects.

If you are pregnant, taking SSRIs can also cause your unborn baby to suffer adverse side effects. Studies published in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) in 2006 and 2007 found that SSRI use during pregnancy doubles a child's risk of being born with omphalocele defects (i.e., with his intestines protruding from his belly button), and septal defects-congenital heart defects that cause the heart to work harder because of poor blood circulation. More recently, research conducted in the United States and abroad has suggested that pregnant women's SSRI use might increase the incidence of infants being born with brain development issues and reduced head size.