Pregnant mothers given antidepressants linked to children born with psychiatric illness

A new study reportedly shows that children whose mothers took antidepressants whilst pregnant with them may have an inflated risk of psychiatric illness.

The study, published by the British Medical Journal (BMJ), found that 32,400 of the 905,000 children participants in a 16-year-long study were diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder. Although statistically only 3% of the total study group, 32,400 is still a significant number that may have in theory been reduced if expectant mothers received more warning about the potential risks to their unborn child.

The risk of “mood, anxiety, behavioural or autism spectrum disorders” was found to be 27% higher for children carried by expectant mothers who took antidepressants before and continued during pregnancy. The BMJ came to the conclusion that:

“In utero exposure to antidepressants was associated with increased risk of psychiatric disorders.”

The respected medical journal believes that between 2-8% of women are using antidepressants during pregnancy, and this number is expected to keep rising.

The most common antidepressant for pregnant women contain selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) as previous studies have found them to be safe for the user during pregnancy. However, studies like this one raise increasing concerns over the effect the inhibitors may still have on the unborn offspring.

The study found that offspring of expectant mothers who began using antidepressants during pregnancy had a 56% higher chance of psychiatric disorder when compared to those whose mothers never took the inhibitors. The risk was even higher for those who already used antidepressants and continued to do so during pregnancy. These women saw a 64% higher chance of carrying a child with a psychiatric disorder.

Previous studies have already suggested the theoretical explanation that SSRIs may be able to “cross the placental barrier and affect the development of the [foetal] brain.”

Lead author Xiaoqin Liu, epidemiologist at Aarhus University in Denmark, conducted the study to look at a whole range of psychiatric disorders rather than focus on a single one. The results include:

However, multiple studies, this one included, have found some contradictory results, and Liu recognises that this makes treatment decisions difficult for expectant mothers. However, as long as there is a potential risk, doctors should inform mothers of this risk so they can make an informed decision based on all of the available information that could affect the lives of their offspring.

Expectant mothers may be faced with a hard choice as the BMJ study warns that “discontinuation of antidepressant treatment can lead to psychiatric episodes with subsequent long lasting adverse effects on both the mother and child.” Previous studies have found women with untreated depression during pregnancy have a higher chance of giving birth to a child with psychiatric disorders.

Other respected researchers have praised the study but don’t believe it is comprehensible enough to provide exact answers. One researcher noted that this study used registry records for diagnoses and is unlikely to include information about alcohol, drug use and other substances that may also be associated with in-utero psychiatric harm.