Taking antidepressants during pregnancy is a debate that continues to remain without a definitive answer. A new research reads that pregnancy women using common antidepressants are at risk. The popular antidepressants have been ruled by scientists to be too risky for pregnant women.
When dealing with chronic depression, women who become pregnant are faced with a troubling dilemma. Taking antidepressants will ward off an eventual relapse to potential suicidal tendencies, but at the same time could impact the baby. An analysis of more than 100 studies suggests that pregnant women who had milder episodes of depression should educate themselves before taking antidepressants, because some of the most popular pills are just too risky.
Wednesday, researchers with the Tufts University School of Medicine and Boston IVF published an analysis of more than 100 studies. They looked at the evidence of antidepressants’ influence on pregnant women with episodes of mild to moderate depression. According to their conclusion, some of the most popular antidepressants are too risky during pregnancy.
“We’re not talking about those with severe depression” said Alice Domar, head of the Domar Center at Boston IVF and study co-author. “But those who have had milder episodes need to be warned of the risks in order to make an informed decision” she added.
Researchers also concluded that based on their analysis “there is no evidence of improved pregnancy outcomes with antidepressant use”, especially when the other side of antidepressant use during pregnancy boosts the risk of miscarriage and preterm birth, as well as behavioral problems in kids later on.
However, experts agree that until now there isn’t a study to prove that antidepressants during pregnancy will have a negative outcome. “The complication rates with the use of these drugs aren’t low” study co-author Dr. Adam Urato explained. Miscarriage risk is boosted 8 percent for women who took antidepressants before the pregnancy. The same risk goes up to 12-16% when pregnant women take antidepressants.
But not everybody agrees that common antidepressants are too risky for pregnant women. “It’s a dangerous message for women who are pregnant and depressed to say that antidepressants don’t benefit them” warned Dr. Kimberly Yonkers, Yale University psychiatrist and obstetrics-gynecology professor. “To take someone who is stable (on medications) and tell them they shouldn’t take it because of all the harm is ridiculous” she added.
