SSRIs and Birth Defects — How Concerned Should Our Patients Be?

SSRIs are often prescribed for depression, a relatively common condition among women of reproductive age; thus, whether SSRI use increases the risk for birth defects is an important issue. Earlier reports have suggested that use of SSRIs (particularly paroxetine) during early pregnancy is associated with an increased risk for heart defects. Reports from two large ongoing case-control studies provide new data on the risks associated with prenatal exposure to SSRIs.

Investigators from the CDC and the University of British Columbia studied 9622 case infants with major birth defects (identified through birth-defect surveillance systems in 8 states) and 4092 controls born from 1997 through 2002. Overall, the authors observed no significant associ…