Antidepressant Use in Pregnancy Raises Risk of Autism and Other Problems for Baby, According to Many Studies
We hope that if you are expecting a baby, you are brimming with joy and anticipation. But we know that in every life, there is sorrow, and maybe circumstances have you feeling glum and you’re thinking about taking antidepressants, or you are already taking them.
But is that a good idea? Many studies have shown that taking antidepressants during pregnancy is linked to potentially serious negative effects for the baby. While medical doctors generally recommend that people don’t just stop taking antidepressants ‘cold turkey’, pregnancy is a good time to taper off them, with your doctor’s guidance, or to refrain from taking them if you are not taking them, opting instead for natural, healthier ways to improve your mood.
A 2013 study using data collected in Sweden found that antidepressants taken in pregnancy increased the risk of autism. The study found that both selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and non-selective monoamine reuptake inhibitors (tricyclic antidepressants or TCAs) were associated with a higher risk of autism spectrum disorders in the child.
A study by Johns Hopkins University, published in 2014 in Pediatrics and online in PubMed.gov (a publication of the National Institutes of Health), found that children diagnosed with ASD were three times as likely to have been exposed to SSRIs before birth as children who developed normally. The strongest link between SSRI exposure and ASD was seen in children who were exposed in the first trimester.
That study also found that boys whose mothers had taken SSRIs during pregnancy were more likely to have other developmental disorders, such as attention deficit disorder (ADD).
SSRIs are some of the most popular antidepressants; they include top sellers Prozac, Zoloft, Celexa and Paxil.
In addition, previous animal studies have found that exposure to antidepressants before birth causes changes in the brain and the behavior of the offspring that mimic those of autism. (Sources: National Institutes of Health; Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences; Adam Urato, MD, professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Tufts University, and maternal-fetal medicine specialist at Tufts Medical Center.)
Adam Urato, MD, who was interviewed by The New York Times on this topic, stated that it should not be surprising that antidepressants are associated with a higher risk of autism (and other developmental difficulties), as these drugs alter the levels of important natural chemicals — neurotransmitters — that the body uses to relay messages from the brain and other parts of the body.
Neurotransmitters direct a multitude of daily processes in all humans. Some of them are also considered hormones. They are released into the blood to regulate such basic functions as constriction of blood vessels and heart rate; but they also help regulate more complex mechanisms such as sleep, the sleep cycle, mood, appetite, memory and learning.
In the unborn infant, neurotransmitters also direct the development of organs, including the heart and lungs.
Antidepressants are able to cross the placenta, thereby reaching the baby.
In addition to the link to autism, studies have found that antidepressants taken by pregnant women are associated with a greater risk of birth defects, including congenital heart defects, life-threatening lung function defects and clubfoot.
Other studies have found that women who take antidepressants in pregnancy are more likely to give birth prematurely than women who were depressed during their pregnancy but did not take antidepressants.
Many natural health advocates believe that use of antidepressants by the population at large does not improve future life outcomes for people who take them; there are also the side effects to consider, which may be unpleasant, or even serious when antidepressants are taken long-term.
It ought to give people great pause that even the doctors who prescribe antidepressants, and the pharmaceutical companies that make the drugs, cannot tell a person exactly how they work; clinicians use phrases such as, “(The antidepressant) is believed to work in part by blocking reabsorption of (a specific neurotransmitter) …”
That is to say, manufacturers don’t know exactly how their own product “works” — and by extension, they also don’t know what exactly it’s doing to the person’s overall system. Think about it: if they don’t really know how it works, they can’t possibly know its effects on the user’s system.
In the case of pregnant women, being that there is a developing, vulnerable baby involved, it is all the more important to get off of them, with the help of their doctors, or to not start taking them, in the first place.
Until recently, many doctors were of the view that depression during pregnancy was riskier for the woman and her unborn child than the possible side effects from taking antidepressants. However, in recent years, more doctors and researchers have concluded that outcomes for pregnant women who take antidepressants, and for their babies, are worse than for pregnant women who do not take these drugs.
This is not to trivialize depression during pregnancy, because that comes with serious risks of its own, including substance abuse, premature birth, low birth weight, pre-eclampsia and suicide. Instead, this is a call for pregnant women who are having difficulties coping to not hesitate to reach out to family and friends, who will likely be all too happy to help you and give you moral support.
A mom-to-be who is struggling with depressive symptoms could also consider seeing a psychotherapist, joining a childbirth class or an exercise class for pregnant women, engaging in regular light exercise (such as daily walks) with her partner, which should give you a more positive perspective. Getting some sunshine every week may also be helpful, as permitted by the weather. Cutting back on your work hours or work load could also ease pressure.
Keep in mind that things are usually not as bad as they seem — and most important, think of that loving, lovable little boy or little girl you’ll soon be able to cradle in your arms and shower with kisses.
By Cynthia Sanchez. A graduate of the University of Washington, Cynthia has extensive experience writing about health and wellness topics for different media.