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Although SSRI use during pregnancy generally seems safe (Journal Watch Psychiatry Jun 19 2003), much remains unknown. These researchers followed 44 children of women diagnosed with major depression before or during pregnancy. Thirty-one women received psychotherapy and SSRIs (sertraline, 48%; fluoxetine, 23%; paroxetine, 26%; fluvoxamine, 3%; 71% received SSRIs in the first trimester), and 13 women (controls) received psychotherapy only. Breast-feeding lasted 6 months in the unmedicated group and 9 months in the medicated group.
At birth, SSRI-exposed infants had lower Apgar scores at 1 and 5 minutes than did unexposed infants and showed a trend toward increased admissions to neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). Medicated mothers whose inf…