A recent study in BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology investigates the use of anti-depressants by pregnant women and the possible effects on their unborn children.
97,680 pregnant women aged between 15 and 45 were studied between 1998 and 2002. The results showed that the use of anti-depressants fell throughout the stages of pregnancy with only 3.7% of women taking the drugs in the first trimester. This figure rose to 7% after childbirth with around 50% of all cases of post-natal depression beginning during pregnancy.
The research highlights the difficulty faced by doctors, who are reluctant to prescribe anti-depressants to pregnant women due to increased concerns about the welfare of their unborn babies. Heart and lung problems and high blood pressure in newborns are some of the symptoms connected with taking some anti-depressants during pregnancy. Despite this, it is important for women to receive the medication that they need as discontinuing their normal dosage can lead to depression relapse, withdrawal and maternal stress.
The study also revealed that higher anti-depressant use was more common in older pregnant women, being on welfare, having current prescriptions for other types of medication (other than anti-depressants) and having more visits to the physician, with at least one diagnosis of depression a year before becoming pregnant. There are also links between health levels and socio-economic status when considering depression among pregnant women.
It's not all doom and gloom though, the study found that SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors) were widely used because of their established efficacy and safety. Herbal remedies such as St John's Wort can also be used as alternatives to antidepressants during pregnancy. Researchers concluded that pregnant women requiring treatment for depression should be dealt with on a case-by-case basis, as every situation carries different circumstances and outcomes.
For more information check out the full report at www.rcog.org.uk
