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Results from two cohort studies confirm earlier reports that maternal use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) might not be safe for newborns.
Researchers in Israel used an objective scoring system to assess neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) in 120 newborns. Among 60 infants whose mothers had taken SSRIs during at least the third trimester of pregnancy, 18 (30%) had signs of drug withdrawal (e.g., tremor, poor feeding, high-pitched cry, sleep disturbance); 10 newborns had mild NAS symptoms, and 8 had severe symptoms. Severe symptoms peaked within the first 2 days of life, and higher SSRI doses correlated significantly with greater likelihood of NAS symptoms. None of the 60 infants whose mothers had not taken SSRIs had NAS symp…