Pregnant Moms: Choosing the Right Antidepressant

Some meds are not linked to birth defects. Pregnant moms who are worried about the effects of taking antidepressants can breathe a little easier. Women who take selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), such as Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil and Lexa-Pro, are no more likely to have babies with birth defects.

By Colin Allen, published on April 01, 2003

Pregnant moms who are worried about the effects of taking antidepressants can breathe a little easier. Women who take selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), such as Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil and Lexa-Pro, are no more likely to have babies with birth defects.

Victoria Hendrick, M.D., from the University of California at Los Angeles followed 138 non-smoking women, between the ages of 24 and 44. In the study, 85 women were taking SSRIs at the beginning of pregnancy; the rest started medication during pregnancy. She found that these women did not put their children in jeopardy for congenital defects, premature birth or low birth rate. Among these women, there was a 1.4 percent chance of a defect; this figure is equivalent to that of the general population.

Researchers, however, still conclude that it is best for pregnant mothers to minimize their exposure to antidepressants. Three women in the study who were taking high levels of Prozac--40 to 80 milligrams-- had low-birthweight babies. It is unclear if the SSRIs or depression itself was the cause. Also reports of jitteriness and rapid breathing in newborns may be caused by antidepressants. Hendrick recommends that pregnant women use fewer antidepressants. She suggests non-pharmaceutical alternatives such as therapy or group counseling.

The study was published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

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