Like many other antidepressants Paxil has its fair share of side effects. Paxil has been shown to cause heart defects in the fetus, especially in those women who are in their first trimester of pregnancy. One of the most common potential Paxil Birth Defect is club foot 


 A club foot, or congenital talipes equinovarus (CTEV), is a congenital deformity involving one foot or both. The affected foot appears rotated internally at the ankle. There are two particular groups that TEV is classified in: Postural TEV or Structural TEV. Without treatment, persons afflicted often appear to walk on their ankles, or on the sides of their feet. It is a common birth defect, occurring in about one in every 1,000 live births. Approximately 50% of cases of clubfoot are bilateral. Males are more likely to be affected by the birth defect in a ratio of 2 to 1. 


 If a child is born with club foot, the treat for the birth defect would begin immediately after the child is born. What will happen is the pediatric orthopedic surgeon will manipulate the foot and cast it on a weekly basis to try to correct the clubfoot deformity. This manipulation technique is called "The Ponseti Method," named after the doctor who has popularized this treatment. The technique used here is called "The Ponseti Method," named after the doctor who has popularized this treatment. During the Ponseti Method the position and timing of the casts is deliberate, and intended to stretch and rotate the foot into a proper position. Week after week the casts are replaced in a process called serial casting. The casts slowly correct the position of the clubfoot. In about one half of cases, this manipulation is sufficient to correct the clubfoot deformity. However in other cases, a surgical procedure may be necessary, during surgery, the doctor will release, or loosen, the tight Achilles tendon to allow the foot to assume its normal position. Once the casts are removed, the child will usually wear nighttime braces until about age two. 



 While Club Foot is one of the more common potential Paxil Birth Defects there are treatments for it. If you would like to start taking Paxil for your signs and symptoms of depression, consult with your doctor first.