Does Antidepressant Use During Pregnancy Raise Risk for ADHD in Offspring?

Maternal psychiatric disease and family factors all contribute to the observed association between antidepressant use and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

Placebo-controlled, randomized studies of the effects of maternal antidepressant use on offspring neurodevelopment aren't feasible, so epidemiologic studies remain the most useful approach to investigating potential associations. In a cohort study of 190,618 children in Hong Kong, 1252 had mothers who had received prenatal antidepressants. Incidence of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) was assessed ≥6 years after birth.

A total of 5659 children had ADHD diagnoses or received treatment for the disorder. Gestational antidepressant use was associated with excess risk for ADHD in offspring (crude hazard ratio, 2.26; P<0.01). Pregnant women with psychiatric disease who did not use antidepressants also had excess risk for offspring w…

Reviewing Author

Robert L. Barbieri, MD

Disclosures

Grant/Research SupportNational Institutes of Health

Editorial BoardsUpToDate

Robert L. Barbieri, MD

Disclosures

Grant/Research SupportNational Institutes of Health

Editorial BoardsUpToDate

Does Antidepressant Use During Pregnancy Raise Risk for ADHD in Offspring?

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Reviewing Author