Beasley, Allen, Crow, Methvin, Portis & Miles, P.C.

Men who take the antidepressant paroxetine (brand names Paxil or Seroxat) have an increased risk of abnormal sperm DNA that may make it more difficult for them to impregnate a woman, according to Health News Digest.

The findings are based on a study published in the online journal Fertility & Sterility. It is touted as one of the first studies to investigate the effects of antidepressants on sperm quality. While fertility wasn’t a direct focus of the study, “we can infer that as many as half of men taking SSRIs have a reduced ability to conceive,” says Dr. Peter Schlegel the study’s senior author.

More than a third of participants in the study also reported significant changes in erectile function and ejaculatory difficulties. Both sexual function and compromised sperm DNA returned to normal one month after discontinuation of the antidepressant.

Antidepressants also can have a more serious effect on fertility. Women who take antidepressants during the first trimester of pregnancy are at greater risk of having a baby with serious birth defects. Studies show that while a number of birth defects have resulted from use of antidepressants, paroxetine (Paxil, Seroxat) poses the greatest risk to an unborn child. Those defects include cardiac defects such as ventricular septal defects, pulmonary hypertension, omphalocele, and craniosynostosis.

Those who are pregnant or are considering pregnancy should consult with their doctors about any medications, including antidepressants, they are taking. In some cases, doctors may recommend an alternative that is safer for the unborn child and won’t interfere with conception.

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