Do SSRIs and pregnancy mix? This is a very important question for expectant mothers and those taking a SSRI who are considering becoming pregnant. SSRI stands for Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors. The SSRI pregnancy link is critical to women who depend on these drugs.

Overview of SSRIs and Pregnancy

SSRIs are a type of antidepressant and are used for treating depression, anxiety, and some personality disorders. They make more of the brain chemical serotonin available to the brain. Serotonin then lifts the mood of the person taking it. In many countries SSRIs are the most widely prescribed antidepressant. But are SSRIs safe to take during pregnancy?

There are few medications that have been proven 100% safe during pregnancy. The latest studies on antidepressants and pregnancy can offer expectant mothers some reassurance.

In the overall picture, the risks of birth defects when a mother takes a SSRI during pregnancy are very low.

Only one specific SSRI, called Paxil, has a slightly higher increase of birth defects when taken during the first three months of pregnancy. The increase was close to 3% in some studies. This has led the FDA to tell doctors to caution women who are pregnant to not take Paxil.

However, this should not be frightening to women. There are other SSRIs to choose from with a much lower risk. It should be taken into consideration that there is an overall risk of delivering a child with a birth defect of 3% with or without the exposure to SSRIs. Therefore, the overall risk does not increase greatly.

Another risk is withdrawal symptoms in newborns. This may sound alarming, but the withdrawal symptoms are not serious. Crying and irritability are the main symptoms and go away one to four days after birth. These can be avoided by taking lower doses of SSRIs during the last few weeks of pregnancy, under the supervision of a doctor.

Benefits of SSRIs for Pregnant Women

The benefits of taking an SSRI during pregnancy should also be considered. During pregnancy about 10% of women are affected by clinical depression. Doctors should consider the risks of not treating a woman with depression during a pregnancy against the risks of SSRIs.  Studies show that leaving women with depression during pregnancy untreated may have serious results.

Depression during pregnancy can lead to babies with sleep problems, such as frequent wake ups and nightmares. Depressed women have more trouble taking proper care of themselves. This includes eating a proper diet, getting enough exercise, getting enough sleep, and going to prenatal care appointments. Studies show that women who suffer from depression during pregnancy are more like likely to suffer from postpartum depression. They are more likely to drink or smoke and have thoughts of suicide. Depressed expectant mothers are also more likely to deliver early and have a baby with slower development.

Depression that is controlled during pregnancy will also lessen the chances of developing post partum depression. Post partum depression can have devastating affects on mothers and their families. Women who are not treated for depression during pregnancy are 5 times more likely to develop post partum depression.