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Depression is common in women during the childbearing years, and psychiatrists and obstetricians alike can find it challenging to treat depression during pregnancy. A workgroup convened by the American Psychiatric Association and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, with input from a developmental pediatrician, has reviewed the literature and developed algorithms for treating women with depression who either are contemplating pregnancy or are already pregnant.
Many studies were confounded by elevated rates of substance use and poor prenatal care in depressed women. In some studies, depression itself was associated with higher rates of miscarriage, preterm birth, fetal growth problems, and developmental delay; however, the…