Antidepressants during pregnancy may affect baby

[Guest guest]

By David Douglas

 

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Babies born to women who took the newer type of

antidepressants called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors or SSRIs during

pregnancy appear to be at increased risk of having a low birth weight and to

develop respiratory distress, Canadian researchers report.

 

Lead investigator Dr. Tim F. Oberlander told Reuters Health that " our study was

undertaken to distinguish the effects of maternal mental illness --

pregnancy-related depression -- from its treatment -- SSRIs -- on neonatal

outcomes. "

 

Oberlander and colleagues at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver

examined population health data for almost 120,000 live births between 1998 and

2001. Fourteen percent of mothers were diagnosed with depression. The

researchers compared the outcomes of babies born to 1451 depressed mothers

treated with SSRIs during pregnancy and of those born to 14,234 depressed

mothers who were not treated with SSRIs.

 

 

 

There was a significantly greater incidence of respiratory distress (13.9% vs.

7.8%) and longer hospital stays for infants born to depressed mothers on SSRIs

than those born to untreated depressed mothers, the team reports in the Archives

of General Psychiatry.

 

Birth weight and gestational age were also significantly less in SSRI-exposed

infants and a significantly greater proportion was born before 37 weeks.

 

" These findings are contrary to an expectation that treating depressed mothers

with SSRIs during pregnancy would be associated with lessening of the adverse

neonatal consequences associated with maternal depression, " Oberlander said.

 

Summing up, he noted that, " while our study may add another cautionary note to

the use of SSRI medications during pregnancy, the use of antidepressants must be

weighed against the risks of untreated or undertreated disease ... and thus the

decision should be made by an informed patient with her physician on a

case-by-case basis. "

 

SOURCE: Archives of General Psychiatry, August 2006.