Antidepressants During Pregnancy: Think Twice Before Stopping

Women who stopped treatment were five times more likely to relapse than those who maintained treatment.

Women on antidepressants who are either pregnant or contemplating pregnancy face a dilemma: On one hand, research has established the deleterious effects of maternal depression not only on the pregnancy, but also on the growing child for some years after birth. On the other hand, a possible association between paroxetine use during pregnancy and cardiac malformations in neonates has prompted an FDA alert (see Journal Watch Women’s Health Jan 10 2006), and neonatal behavior changes possibly associated with other antidepressants have been reported. This NIH-funded study is the first to address the risk for relapse among women with recurrent depression who elect to discontinue antidepressants before conception or in early pregnancy.

Researchers…

Reviewing Author

Nada L. Stotland, MD, MPH