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Psychiatry is more than medications and treatments. So it is not psychiatry, itself, that is responsible for any ill effects.
SOME medications and treatments, used in the Practice of Medicine, which includes the sub-specialty of psychiatry, have been responsible for ill effects. But this is an expected hazard of progress in the Practice of Medicine as well as culture. For example, today surgeons know to keep a patient with a belly wound "NPO", meaning "give nothing by mouth". But in the early Practice of Medicine, bacteria were not known-- that discovery came later. So many people died from abdominal wounds, especially in early wars and traumas, because no one knew anything better than to let a patient eat and drink fluids. Even the English let wounded soldiers drink tea, until doctors figured out that this could cause vomiting, aspiration of vomit into the lungs, and death.
Anesthesia was another area that needed time to educate men (doctors) about its hazards. Chloroform, one of the first anesthetic inhalation compounds used for surgery, was a godsend to people who before would have died from wounds or infections. Just a simple infected abscessed tooth could kill. Yet, at the same time, Chloroform brought unexpected dangers--including fire, and including putting a patient so far "under" that the patient died from respiratory depression. We didn't have machines to monitor dosages, or monitor heart and respiration. So, yes, people died on the operating table.
Psychiatry does not "operate", but some treatments have evolved over time. For example, in 1800s "insane asylums", patients were often put into "ice baths". They were restrained in a tub filled with ice below, on top, and surrounding the person. Doctors, back then, did not know ice could be such a shock that it could stop a person's heart, or that a person could become hypothermic. Doctors back then believed the physical "shock" of ice cold temp could astound a patient so much that it would interrupt psychosis, depression, and "catatonic" reactions to life's problems. Years later, hospitals used "steam baths", looking for a mental-emotional change in symptoms, but still unaware of any dangers. (Neither steam baths or ice baths are used now, and "mental institutions" were closed, finally, in the 1980s.)
However, controversies remain about ECT, Electroconvulsive therapy, in which current is passed through the brain to bring about a change in major severe depression, acute mania, and certain schizophrenic syndromes. Patients who have undergone ECT say the current destroyed their long term memories and creates long-lasting confusion. In use for 60-some years, today, ECT is administered to an estimated 100,000 people a year, and is the subject of much controversy. Results vary, widely.
Turning strictly to birth defects...
Birth defects must occur during pregnancy for the condition to be a birth defect. Nothing is done directly to the fetus, but until the 1950s, doctors did not know that many medications pass from the maternal blood stream to the fetus, or from breast milk to a newborn (when an acquired condition could result). However, there is no central database list of medications that DO cause birth defects. INSTEAD, now, ALL medications are assumed to pass from maternal blood to the fetus. Therefore, IF a mother MUST have a medication, doctors try to limit the dose AND duration of the medication for at least the first 2 trimesters of pregnancy.
No doctor wants a medication or treatment to do harm (to an adult, child, or fetus). Developed countries like the US oversee medications and side effect reports. Extensive animal and human studies and reporting of bad effects makes US medication prescribing one of the safest systems in the world. Yet, it is impossible to predict all problems beforehand.
In short, the answer to your question about birth defects is No, except before 1950 when little was known about how chemicals pass from mother to fetus.
What else can I help you with?
Why was the testing inappropriate for thalidomide?
It Caused Unexpected Damage To The Babies Of Thousands Of Pregnant Women.
What percent of birth defects are caused by teratogens?
About 7% of all congenital defects are caused by exposure to teratogens
Can Birth defects be passed down by genes?
Yes, some birth defects can be caused by genetic factors that are passed down from parent to child. These inherited genetic mutations may increase the risk of certain birth defects occurring in future generations. However, not all birth defects are caused by genetics.
Desceibe the damage caused bu long-term use of tobacco products?
Long-term tobacco use can cause damage such as lung disease and heart disease. It can also lead to cancer and birth defects.
Why does brain damage due to injuries diseases or birth defects have such a serious consequence on your lives?
Their damage is irreversible.
What are the demograhics of birth defects?
Birth defects are found in 2-3% of all newborn infants. This rate doubles in the first year, and reaches 10% by age five, as more defects become evident and can be diagnosed. Almost 20% of deaths in newborns are caused by birth defects.
What can occur if the drug epoetin is taken during pregnancy?
In studies of laboratory animals, epoetin taken during pregnancy caused birth defects, including damage to the bones and spine.
What happened to the south after the war?
They were born later with birth defects caused by Agent Orange.
Can a male sperm cause birth defects?
Yes, there are several teratogens that can cause birth defects through male exposure. There is documented evidence that exposure to Agent Orange that was used during the Vietnam War has caused birth defects in first and second generation births. Additionally, radiation can lead to issues for many generations afterward. There are some viruses that are mutagenic and can cause defects in progeny as well.
Did Jesus have any birth defects?
No he did not have any birth defects.
What effect did the atom bomb have on the people who survived?
Nuclear fallout caused illness, cancers, and birth-defects.
How many babies are born in the US each year with birth defects?
Approximately 120,000 babies in the United States are born each year with birth defects. These defects can range from mild to severe and may be caused by genetic factors, environmental exposures, or a combination of both. Early detection and intervention can help manage the effects of birth defects.
